The Sustenance Of Legends
by Master Edge 2
Summary: Johto lies on the verge of civil war. Outsiders have arrived and tension rises within the cities of the province. Follow Zachary Pine as he sets out to help advance his new home land, and bring a better way of life to its people. Along the way he creates savage enemies, unconventional allies, and discovers what might bring the developing province to its knees.
1. Foundations

**Hey, guys, and welcome to my pet project.**

**I read _The Sun Soul_ by _50caliberchaos, _loved it, became inspired by it, and began work on my own story.  
**

**I wanted to tell a story set in a world that can be rough, dangerous, and takes a good sense to survive in. I think the Pokemon world suited this just fine. **

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The day of his loss was when he was eight years old. The sun had only poked its upper half through the trees when he came back to his senses after his hiding place had been knocked over. Not even the early morning mist had washed over the forest's floor to drift over the bodies of archaeologists and the trainers hired for protection.

Not a single person, but him, survived till the morning, and for once it was not the forces of nature that had claimed them with streams of fire or the blow of frigid wind summoned by the mystic animals they lived among. These were the actions of humans, who's powers lied in gunpowder and steel. The basics of martial weaponry, in a world where creatures wielded the power of the elements themselves, left something to be desired in the deaths of the members of the caravan.

The remnants of gunpowder drifted through the cracks in the wood, and tickled his nose with its dry scent. He stirred as he came to, groaning. Head thumping, the young boy laid in the cramped storage cabin beneath the wagon. Every nerve in his body screamed at him, shooting pain through his system as he tried to move.

His eyes slowly opened. He could not see anything in the darkness that surrounded him. The only light source that graced the boy with its presence came from the small sliver of sunlight which filtered through a single crack. The break in the wood had been produced when the wagon had been ransacked, spilling the artifacts he had helped his father dig up.

He stirred, laying on the wall which now acted as a floor. The haze of his mind had finally begun to subside. His head pounded behind his eyes, feeling the tension in the back of his neck as well. The boy had been beaten without even fighting, but he was alive. He was happy for that.

As his consciousness gained, he began to hear the dull murmur of voices outside. He took a deep breath as he slowly turned to his side, his back aching as he did so. With much protest from his shoulders, he propped himself up on one elbow, his nose touching the wall in the tiny compartment.

He tingled with fear as he began to rise. Fearing the voices, and fearing the solitude he felt in the absence of familiar voices.

He slowly made his way to his feet. Every part of his body screamed in protest in it came their tim to move. With heavy breaths, he looked up. The small crack, which brought in the light, was not big enough to see through. He didn't know if the aggressors were outside, but if it was daytime he had been out for more than seven hours. Even in his daze, the boy was intelligent enough to determine that.

He slowly rose his arms, and pushed up, lifting the small wooden door open. The sudden surge of light caused him to shield his eyes with his forearms. Instantly, the light became blocked by a towering figure. Four bulking arms protruded out of the large silhouette

He felt two powerful hands beneath his shoulders as he was pulled out, and was placed gently to his feet by the hulking creature, which stood an easy four feet over the eight year old boy. The behemoth figure moved away, allowing its trainer to take a position in front of him.

The boy's weak legs shook with the rest of his body, and the smell of gunpowder flooded his nostrils. He began to cough, falling to his knees. His eyes, as he recovered from his coughing fit, finally began to open. The dim light of the dawn blinded him at first, but he quickly adjusted. At first he only saw the large black boots of the man standing in front of him, but he quickly looked up, his heart skipping a beat in tense surprise.

The light of the morning sun gleamed on the man's bald head, he had he demeanor of a hardened soldier. Despite this, concern had grown on his features. Behind him stood a hulking machamp, the humanoid's frog-like head was fixed on the boy, interlocked in a perpetual grin.

The boy blinked and was still dizzy. He saw parts of brown and black clothing and fur scattered around the wagon. Many of which were not distinguishable in the thick mist of the powder.

It wasn't for a few moments before he realized the man was talking to him. To the kid, his words sounded like a muffled hum. Finally, as the shock to his senses began to lift, his ears allowed the man's voice to be understood. "..ou alri...?" he heard at first, his mind sharpening to the man's loudened words. "Are you ok?" he asked the boy again.

The boy didn't respond, but simply stood. His legs quivered some before he found his strength. He nodded, looking around at the nine bodies that surrounded the wagon.

The tauros, a bullet wound clearly defined on both sides of its head, laid with the other bodies, still strapped to the front of the wagon. Behind it laid the scattered remains of pots and plates used by people of ancient times.

Through the mist of the powder, a single figure stood out to him. A blue skinned lion laying on the ground, its black fur matted with blood from yet more bullet holes. His father's luxio, which laid on top of its trainer.

The child didn't want to believe what he was looking at. His mind worked like a machine that had not been used in quite some time, and this was something that threatened to convert his haze into hysterics. The man had been speaking to him, but he simply shut him out. This man, who had pulled him from his potential coffin, had might as well have been miles away.

The child stumbled slowly towards the body of his father, but tripped over the leg of another dead man. He hit the ground hard, landing with a grunt. As he laid there for a moment, his eyes meet the gaze of another dead pokemon, whose red eyes stared vacantly into the forest.

He pushed himself up and stepped over another cadaver before he reached his father. Who had always been a dignified man. Even his body laid with a level of decorum. His mouth did not hang open, and his eyes had closed. His son could tell he passed away slowly. His gray jacket was stained with blood over his stomach, and his hand rested uselessly against the wound. A trail of disturbed dirt led from where his body laid to where he had been shot. He had begun to drag himself towards the wagon before his passing.

His other arm was laid over top of the luxio. The two had passed away together, both succumbing to their injuries. It wasn't until later in his life that he would realize that his father passed knowing his son would be safe. In his eleventh year he would have a revelation about the flare gun that lied next to him. His father had signaled for help, and in Sinnoh's well patrolled routes, that was certain to be seen by a ranger. His father was always a bright man, a man who inspired his son constantly.

The only thing he could do was rest his head on his fathers shoulder with tears streaming down his face. Had he done this while his father was alive he would have heard him sing in soothing tones, but not this time. No more songs would come from his father, and nothing would comfort him in this time.

"Mesprit's heart..." the large man offered in condolence as he approached the scene. "You're Zachary Pine, aren't you?" he said sympathetically. He stood for a moment in silence before he knelt. "I'm sorry about your father, he was a good man."

Zach said nothing to the man.

Another man appeared from behind the wagon, his long hair falling over his face. "They have it," he said blandly over the sound of the crying child.

The man by Zach turned to look over the carnage, his features somber. "All we can do is hope they can't use it. We can get it back eventually."

"We'll run out of time eventually. We have to act."

"What will you have us do?" the man stressed. "March on their headquarters? Just the two of us? Our priority is to get this boy to the city, and a report written on this attack."

The sound of a branch breaking caught the attention of the three.

Zach, with tears still falling down his face, rose his head from his father's shoulder. Movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He turned his head, and he simply remained knelt and frozen among the other bodies. Scavengers would surely come to this scene, and even more bold pokemon would take on the living ones. His heart raced.

A small brown pokemon emerged from the forest. This animal had no look of aggression, only terror, matching Zach's sorrow in its large black eyes. It looked between the three humans among the dead nine, its long ears pulled back in a cowering stance. Pokemon had varying levels of intelligence based on species and individuals. Eevee were among the most intelligent of non-psychic types.

The baby vulpine pokemon inched cautiously towards the bodies, sniffing at the ground with attentiveness as it periodically stopped to peek at the present humans. It stopped at a man laying by his fathers feet, and nudged his hand with a small whimper. Zach's teared eyes narrowed as the eevee looked at him with another whine.

This wasn't a wild pokemon. It was being raised by one of the hired trainers.

The large man slowly inched back to make space for the advancing eevee, and gestured to his machamp to take the same action. The eevee reached Zach and sat, its sorrowful eyes never breaking away from him.

The boy looked at the eevee for a few moments, still fighting back sobs. He outreached his hand slowly to the trembling canine, hoping to find some comfort in its soft fur.

Comfort was found. He scratched it with absent minded interest between its ears. A few more moments and Zach had eased his crying, removing his hand from the pokemon's head.

"I want to go home," he said, his voice quiet and shaking. He looked up to the man, noticing the emblem patched into the chest of his uniform. White wings reaching out of a golden ring, with the background of a silver shield. A ranger working for the Sinnoh League. A protector of the lost and the helpless. The boy felt a small amount of hope for himself, but still only wanted his father to be able to come home with him.

"Too bad your father was well known..." said the long haired man as he approached them from behind the wagon, who was quickly silenced by a glare from the other ranger.

Zach looked back to the bodies, wanting to take one last look before they departed. He said nothing, only looking at his fathers body, which laid along with the bodies of the rest of the convey and their pokemon.

Their flintlock rifles had been taken along with their swords. They would likely be sold to other bandits since firearms were so rarely seen among commoners. He even noticed the pokeballs, which some of the guards possessed, had been taken. Nothing was left there but the dead, and a wagon full of useless clay pots from ancient times.

"Don't worry. We'll see that he receives a proper burial," the larger ranger said, placing his hand on the boy's back. "They all will."

The small eevee watched as the company departed, whining quietly as his long ears fell back again. It caught the attention of the boy. They had much in common.

They had both lost people in this attack, and the infant appeared to seek security from him. Not the long haired man with four pokeballs on his belt, nor the tall bald man with six. Him: the eight year old boy who had just suffered a tragedy, who had no experience with pokemon other than what his father told him.

He felt a small amount of reprieve from his sorrowfulness when he stared at the eevee. "You can come if you want," he croaked. The eevee almost seemed to understand, and it trotted over to Zach, sitting at his feet.

Zach scanned the scene once more, and he spoke to the pokemon, fighting a shake in his voice as he did so. "You and I," he said quietly. "This will never happen to us again." He looked back to the bodies of his dad and his pokemon, his brow furrowed and pushingg some tears down his cheek. "No more loss. Not if we can prevent it."

The eevee simply cocked its head in response, and Zach leaned over to picked him up. The pokemon sniffed at the boy's hand, hesitantly looking around their misty surroundings. It only took a few seconds for the eevee to take refuge in Zach's arms, and the boy stood, holding the tiny infant to his chest. In response, the pokemon licked his cheek before curling up.

The long haired man now walked beside Zach and his new partner. "Who did that eevee belong to?" he asked.

The larger man looked down at the small cat-like fox, then to Zach. "It's his now," he said contently as they let the mist of the gunpowder and the smell of death fall far behind them. "That's all that matters now."

Zach had come to name the eevee Leo. Sharing the name of his father's fallen luxio, who had protected his father till the very end. Each year, they visited the graves of both his father and Leo's old trainer, paying their respects. Every day they trained together, fueling their passion with their losses. With each year that passed, they returned to the graves stronger.

15 years later

Johto

The day of his arrival was a miserable day, the beautiful blue sky was glazed over by hideous gray clouds. The threat of rain loomed, the clouds acting as a warning for the potential downpour. As ominous as it seemed, any rainfall would mean nothing to the young man sitting in the back cabin of the car.

He had short black hair, not going so far as to pass his ears. His eyes had remained the same shade as he grew older, maintaining an apparent glow of hazel. He had been called attractive by many women, both ones he knew well, and by the charismatic characters he had passed on he street going to and from work.

He looked out the window, lines of trees gave way to fields, which returned to forest shortly after. The trees passed steadily as the slow moving vehicle made its trip. The scenery of Southern Johto was exciting to Zachary, despite its monotony. His long journey was almost to an end.

His bounty of luggage cramped the area, covering both the forward facing and backward facing seats in the cabin, as well as the space in between. Despite the clutter of the area, he felt a sensation of relaxation. He had leaned back in the seat, his elbow rested on the door. His head rested on the back of his hand, his face tranquil. His new life was about to begin, far from the city, far from anything that made him comfortable.

He took an orb off of his belt and held it up, admiring its red cover as a nice change of tone in the otherwise bleak setting. The ball had been a perfect tool for keeping him and his boss safe many times.

"Almost there," he said quietly to his partner and life-long friend. "Then you can get out of there."

With a smile he lowered the ball and let his hand fall on his thigh, now holding the capsule precariously in his fingers. His dormant thoughts were accompanied by the quiet humming of the electric engine powering the cab. He rocked gently around in his seat, the uneven pavement of the shoddy road, Zach noted, being only just safe enough to drive on.

The glass panel, which separated Zach from the driver, slid open, catching his full attention. Anticipating a conversation, he sat up in his seat. If the driver and he were going to converse it would be the first interaction with him in the two hour drive.

"Sorry to bother you," the driver said, his friendly face growing more serious as he spoke. "I want to ask what brings you so far from your homeland to live in a border town on the frontier." The lines on his aged face became more pronounced as he spoke, his tone changing from the chummy cheer of a chaperon to the cold tone of an earnest man who had seen much. He continued, "I hope you're prepared. People die out here if they're not careful outside of the town."

Zach sat quietly for a moment, he knew the danger. He practically lived on the field in Sinnoh. Helping Professor Rowan conduct research. Even his lab work was mostly his reports containing what he had learned on the field. He was a professors assistant, but he was strictly a field assistant, taking the time, when Rowan took to the comfort of the city, to train and build his knowledge of survival in the wild. Much to the pride, and concern, of his mother.

"I'm here to work for Sean Elm," he said matter-of-factually.

The driver remained silent for a moment, focusing on the road. "Ah, yes. The upcoming professor," he said with a grin, breaking the gloom of his previous statement. "You must have really impressed him to have been hired from so far away. Sinnoh, right? I can tell by your accent." He allowed a smile, his rugged features wrinkling.

"Yes, I'm from Eterna City," Zach said before proceeding with his real answer. "Elm said he needed someone with experience in training and raising a pokemon, and that I was the only one who caught his eye in that regard."

"You're a trainer then?"

"Field assistant. Kind of a blend of researcher and trainer." Zach attempted to explain as he rested his arm over the top of the seat.

"So is that Pokemon in the ball yours? Or is it for Elm?"

"He's mine. Since I was young." he said proudly, remembering the day he and his pokemon had met, his eyes dulling as the thoughts entered his mind.

"It's good to have an old friend in a new place," the driver said, discontinuing his questioning. He returned his full attention to the road. "It must be hard to leave your friends behind to come half way across the world."

"It is, but I know they'll stay in touch."

"How?" The driver asked flatly, turning his gaze to the rear view mirror to look Zach in the eye in an apparent attempt to add weight to what he was about to say. "There are no phones on the frontier, friend. You got spoiled living in a developed country."

Zach sat quietly for a moment, remembering the research he had done on the newer country of Johto. He had been right. It was only two hundred years ago that people came down from Sinnoh to attempt a settlement that was closer to the Orange Isles and Orre,. A bill of independence from Sinnoh was signed not long after Goldenrod had started to flourish and so they cut themselves off, becoming their own country without the aid of their motherland. So the province of Johto in the Indigo Leagues was born.

The driver continued. "Progress in Johto is slow, but it is steady. I warn you, though. Things have been better. Olivine and Ecruteak are at each others throats like houndoom. I have a friend in Olivine, he tells me that Ecruteak's been getting bold near the border. I think it's a load of shit, but Ecruteak has seen better days. They might be getting desperate."

"Things were certainly less interesting in Sinnoh. How long has this been going on?" Zach asked.

"No idea," the man quickly dismissed. "But if anything goes on up there that would effect the Violet region." He looked at Zach through his rear view mirror. "That's us," he informed.

"I hope it doesn't go anywhere," Zach admitted.

The driver simply waved his hand dismissively. "Honestly I doubt it will escalate."

"Still...," Zach whispered to himself as he hunched back into his eat and looked out the window.

He watched the distant ocean to the south. A small smile contradicted his worry. The ocean, maybe half a kilometer away, grew closer as the car slowly approached New Bark. The scenery of the trees quickly gave way to a beach, the waves falling gently on the sand. Finally he saw the first indication that he had almost arrived. A large orange sign stood on the side of the road, welcoming any new arrivals.

New Bark Town

Population 228

"Where the winds of a new beginning blow."

A few moments later, Zach finally saw the walls of New Bark Town, the sight of civilization exciting Zach the same way it did when he left Cherrygrove. His new life would be here, and despite the danger, he was happy to be there.

The cab slowed to a full stop in front of the gates. The driver rolled down his window, raising his hand outside as an indication to the guards who were posted on top of the wall. Zach couldn't see them from where he sat, except for a single guard positioned further up the wall. His green and muddy body armour fitting loosely over the scrawny man.

Shifting into park, the driver stuck his head out of the window. "It's Dallen!" he shouted to the men. "I have Elm's new fodder." He laughed. Zach heard the men on the wall laugh as well, feeling his face burn red.

As the driver began to ease the car through the gate, he turned to his passenger. "Don't mind the fodder comment." he said with a smile, his white teeth almost glowing compared to his tanned complexion. "We say that joke about all of Elm's aids, and none of them have died yet."

"Yet," Zach retorted. He lowered his head, releasing a troubled sigh.

Dallen drove the car through the gates and proceeded to stop where the pavement ended in the small settlement where cars could only go as far as the first houses. He put the vehicle into park and cut the power to the engine, the hum of the motor ending its light assault on Zach's ears after two hours.

"You'll find people here have a different sense of humour. It helps deal with life on the frontier. Think nothing of it," Dallen said defensively. "Its the first thing you'll notice. Now let's get you settled. You're probably eager, and I need to stretch. I'm as stiff as a sudowoodo." He stood up out of the cramped drivers seat, his knees popping loudly as he straightened out.

Zach stepped out of the car, his knees also popping as he did so. With a relieved sigh, he stretched and looked back into the back cabin of the car with a frown. All the luggage would have to be carried to his residence, and where that was he didn't have a clue. The luggage would have to stay in the car for now in a town he didn't know with people he didn't yet trust.

He looked over to Dallen, who stood staring at a garage behind him before turning to Zach."I guess you need to talk to Elm before I lock this old girl up," he said, patting the high roof of the car. "You can see the lab from here, largest building in town. You can't miss it." He pointed behind him, presenting the green roof, which protruded over some trees between them and the building. The roof looked like it would glow in the sunlight if that day had permitted it.

From the path leading towards the lab, a dark figure contrasted by his white lab coat came running towards the car. The short haired man was heavy built, his shoulders and chest broad, double the size of the medium built Zach. As he drew closer, Zach could see the panic in the mans features, his mouth was open and his less than white teeth were clenched together. His attention turned from the wall he was approaching to the cab and its driver when he came close enough.

"Dallen, did you see Professor Elm out there?" he spat out between his breaths.

The driver waved his hand in front of him. "No. Why?"

"Damn," he exasperated as he ran off again towards a tawdry staircase that led to the top of the wall.

The man reached the top of the stairs and said something to a few of the guards, who immediately ran north up the wall. Another scientist, a woman who was attractive despite her old age, ran past Zach and the cab, taking the same route. The dark skinned scientist immediately ordered her to go to the northern position, to which she responded.

"It's likely he'll come from where Ashley is positioned, but we'll be here just in case," said the dark skinned scientist to the guards, pushing his glasses closer to his face. He turned his head to Zach, his chest rising and falling heavily. "You're the new field assistant, right? Come up here!"

One of the guards took his pokeball in his hand and flicked his thumb over a trigger-like protrusion on the side, opening the capsule. A brilliant white light brightened the area around them. The light swirled as it found its shape, congealing into a humanoid form. The white light turned yellow as an electabuzz took its position beside its trainer.

The guard spoke quietly to it, and the pokemon looked at him with a surprising intelligence, as thought it actually understood the orders being given to it. Pokemon of humanoid nature often had this trait, although modern science of their world had not been able to explain why. When the guard finished talking, everyone around it stood back. An audible crackling emitted from the creature as its fur began to stand up.

"There!" A guard yelled, pointing into the forest.

Zach took the final step to the top of the stair case just in time to see Elm emerge from the forest. Wheezing, the middle aged man jumped out of the bush, running desperately towards the wall.

"Get the gate open!" yelled one of the guards to another standing in a glass booth. Without hesitation a button was pressed, triggering the high pitched whining of the gate as it labored to open.

Behind Elm, a swarm of rattata appeared from the forest. No more than five or six, but enough to take a man apart without much effort. Their red eyes focused solely on Elm, unaware of their surroundings in their pursuit. They were a fair ways back from Elm, obviously outrun by the long strides of the larger human.

Before Elm had reached the open gate, he hazarded a glance behind him, causing him to stumble in his exhaustion, and throwing off his balance. Elm slowed and the rattata began to gain on him. He was five meters from the gate, and losing distance, but not as well as he used to be.

One rattata ran ahead of the group, mouth open and razor sharp incisors ready to take whatever it could from the professor.

The electabuzz responded to the wayward rattata. A loud crack followed by a split second of lightening flashed from the humanoid. It hit the rodent, connecting with its eye and popping it like a ripe tomato. The rodent landed with a skid, smoke fuming from its mouth.

"Take care of the rest!" its trainer ordered. The electabuzz, nodded in confirmation, and the air around it cracked again. The sound the second time sounded almost exactly like quiet thunder, without the rolling echos in the sky. With a blinding flash, the swarm of rattata all dropped at once. One had exploded in a charred mess, the smell of burnt flesh instantly hitting Zach like a wave.

"Shit," a guard near Zach muttered. He looked to the man, who gritted his uneven teeth as his face grew red with anger. Zach followed his gaze. The booth, which held the switch, stood uselessly, the interior dim. The young and inexperienced guard inside stood dumbfounded. "Damn kid," said the older guard as he walked past Zach. He yelled to the booth. "Did you not release the fucking button?" he asked, his voice booming with anger.

He pushed the younger guard out of the glass booth, pressing the button multiple times before leaning on the console, his head hung and his face red. He breathed in and out for a few moments before he could gather what little patience remained of him in his old age. He was a man who had been doing this for too long. He stuck his head out and hollered to the man north up the wall. "Hey, Jason. Take Buzz and charge this damn generator so we can close the gate!" he hollered.

He looked back to the younger guard, who couldn't have been a year older than Zach himself. "I've told you this a hundred times," he hissed. "the button doesn't need to be held. You suck out the power faster than the generator can produce it, and then we can't close the gate." He pointed to the unit of dead pokemon laying scattered on the dirt path. "Then those things get in!"

Zach glanced down to Elm, who Dallen had met as soon as he entered the walls. He began to take a step down the stairs, but was interrupted by the hollering of the young guard.

"Raticate!" he hollered. He shouldered his rifle and pulled back the hammer. After a moment of aim he fired, the hammer connected with the fission and the gun unleashed a thunderous bang. The scrawny boy looked like he almost fell back when the gun fired. The bullet impacted the dirt where the raticate had been when the gunpowder ignited. It was too fast for such a large and inaccurate weapon.

"Dammit, Randall." the old man shouted. "Hold fire!" He leaned over the railing on the inside of the wall where the electabuzz had just reached the generator."Get that damn gate shut!" he shouted, watching Buzz position his hands on the negative and positive of the battery.

Elm and Dallen moved further from the gate, the driver opening the door of his cab to provide the professor with shelter in case the pokemon entered the town.

The dark skinned scientist looked over to Zach, his face stern. "Show us why he hired you," he said flatly.

A second later Zach's pokeball flung open. White light swirled into its shape at the foot of the wall. Long ears pronouncing themselves from the center as they pushed forwards to the forming head. Moving from the head, the pokemon took shape. Four legs and a long, broad tail took their conformation. Before it fully took the form of an entity of matter, it had already taken its stance, holding its sharp-edged tail upwards and poised to pounce. The beige fur of the canine took its pronunciation, along with the green moss which coated sections of its body.

The raticate, spotting the creature, instantly redirected its charge at it, running over the bodies of its inferior counterparts. It's mouth looked as though it could eat most anything in a single bite. Sharp fangs ran up towards its incisors, its foremost teeth measured the length of a grown mans forearm. It grew closer to its target, opening its mouth as it readied to bite the leafeon in half.

Zach's leafeon, still in its stance, waited patiently for the large rat to close the distance between them. Once it had come within a meter of the fox, it leaped forwards, landing beside the charging rat. The next thing that came from the raticate was a stream of crimson flowing out of its side, running through its brown fur and onto the ground. As it landed, its entrails popped out of the wound. The raticate laid on the ground struggling, the ground around it streaking with a short trail of blood. Leo walked over to the raticate's throat and clamped his jaws down, cutting off the airflow.

Among the six rattata, their leader now laid five meters closer to the wall than any of them had made it.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Zach jogged down the stairs and towards Elm, who stood with his hands on his knees still trying to catch his breath as Dallen kept his position between the professor and the still open gate.

Like a phantom, his leafeon ran silently back to him. As the Pokemon reunited with his trainer, he raised himself to his hind legs and jumped up onto Zach. He had folded his green tail towards the center, giving it more vulpine appearance. He had been trained to do so when no threats were around, as to avoid any accidents had someone come into contact with the razor sharp edges. Zach patted the leafeon's head with a proud smile before ordering him down. The fox obeyed and sat on his haunches, still looking up at his partner.

Elm was a skinny man, but tall. Despite this, his muscles had been toned from working in the field. The only lines on the professors young and tanned face were around his mouth, and more had began to carve themselves into his forehead. His hair was short and brown, with random strands of gray beginning to pronounce themselves. It had begun to recede in his mid-life years. To compliment all of this, dark brown eyes peered through round glasses, giving Elm the full appearance of a scientist.

Elm, taking deep breaths, looked up to Zach. The hint of a smile exposed in combination with his exhaustion. His young and tanned face was red, sweat pouring down his brow. He removed his circular glasses, producing a cloth from his pocket as he began to wipe them clean. "I thought I recognized Leo," he said between his panting breaths.

"Are you hurt?" Zach asked.

"I'm fine," Elm said with an adrenaline-fueled laugh. "I'm glad you made it here safely, Zach." They shook hands. "To be honest I forgot you were coming today." He scratched the back of his neck with embarrassment.

The dark skinned scientist approached from the wall, his face as stern as ever. "I thought you had a furret with you." he said handing Elm another cloth from his lab coat.

Elm, laughing again, broke the professional mannerism Zach had grown accustomed to during his time with him in Eterna City. "Damn noctowl carried it off." He mimicked the swooping of the Pokemon with his hand. "Came out of nowhere and grabbed it. I was so wrapped up in what I was doing that I must have not noticed until those rattata decided I looked good."

After a few moments of a silent break in the conversation, Elm had managed to ease his breathing. He began to take slow and steady breaths, looking about the situation. "Now, Zach. Lets get you acquainted with the lab. I have something for you that you might like. Consider it a thank you for coming so far south to live here," he said, placing his hand on Zach's back as he urged him to follow.

The lab was fairly plain besides the large windows that occupied a large portion of the wall on either side of a large double door. The two story building has little in the way of decoration. It simply stood blankly against a mountainous backdrop, leaving something to be desired by Elm's new employee. As far as labs went, it looked more like a warehouse than a scientific institution on the verge of provincial recognition.

"You'll be doing much of the same stuff you did with Rowan," Elm told him as they stopped in front of the double doors. "My focus is on breeding patterns, but the evolution of infant pokemon is also my area of specialty." he said modestly. "I haven't been doing this for long, so an experienced helper is nice. I graduated from Professor Oak's class only a few years ago, but I've found great things." He grinned as he pushed the doors open, revealing the sanitary interior. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you your assignment."

The lab, like the building itself, had an insipid atmosphere. Its white bland floor blended with the walls and ceiling, leaving little in the way of distractions. The same bland white colour extended to the machines lining the walls, the large computers only distinction from a simple protrusion in the wall being the black consoles sitting in the midsection of the towers. Various lights blinked on and off in their own patterns, indicating something Zach was sure he would be familiar with soon enough.

Zach followed him to the back of the lab to his office, which was only separated from the rest of the room by the large boxes that had been stacked waist high. A desk laid under a mountain of papers, which extended their invasion to the floor. Zach stood outside of the makeshift room, fearing he'd step on something important. Elm opened the drawer of his desk and produced a key, walking past Zach again towards a large door.

He moved across the lab towards a large machine with glass surrounding a single pokeball. "Normally I'd have at least three pokemon in here, but they've been given out to aspiring guards who proved their worth," Elm said. "That electabuzz is good, but we can't rely on him all the time, and in a town with no gym we need all the protection we can get." He unlocked the machine, and the glass panel slid open. He grabbed the single pokeball and handed it to Zach. "Speaking of people who have proved themselves, I'm entrusting you with this little guy. He's your assignment."

"Seriously?" Zach said astounded. "To raise him?" Elm simply nodded his head silently, his hand still reaching out with the pokeball. Zach hesitated a moment, but grabbed the pokeball. "What is it?"

"See for yourself." Elm smiled, folding his arms in front of his chest.

Holding the ball in his hand he pressed a button on the side, releasing the lid and allowing the capsule to crack open. The white light shot onto the top of a nearby table and swirled into the shape of a small rodent.

Its ears appeared almost square on the top of its head. The white turned a solid yellow as the baby pokemon opened its eyes, looking around curiously at the room. Zach placed his hand out to touch the small pokemon, which reacted with a small squeak and a snap of weak electricity to Zach's fingers.

Zach recoiled, holding his hand as Leo began to growl at the tiny animal.

"It's alright, Leo." he said to his leafeon, a small quiver of excitement lining his words. "He's just scared." He crouched to be eye level with the rodent, who only stood half as tall as his head. Leo stopped his growling, curiosity replacing his aggression. The pichu only stared at Zach, its own curiosity flashing on its face.

"He looks like he has aptitude." Zach turned to Elm.

"That species usually does, they're very popular as pets in Kanto. Which is unwise because of how dangerous they can be, but that's why I wanted you to have this pokemon. I can see your ability to raise a Pokemon well from infancy." He nodded towards the leafeon. "I have full confidence in you, Zach. Welcome to New Bark Town."

* * *

**So there's the beginning. I wanted to set some foundation without going crazy in the plot. Hope it's enough to get you to move onto the next chapter, and then I have the think of something to get you into the third, and then things start flowing. Pacing? The hell's that?**

**Anyways, leave me a review and I'll love you, favourite and I'll become fond of you, follow and we'll talk from time to time, or contribute to my viewer count and I'll loosely keep in touch by liking a Facebook status from time to time. Cheers.**


	2. The Calling

**Hey, guys. This chapter is to focus on characters and plot devices, rather than delving into violent territory. **

* * *

The flags of Violet City waved proudly in the gentle breeze, hosting the cities banner, a blue plain with the white outlines of a pidgeot.

Above the city, the sun shone brightly, caressing the scene with its warm and welcomed glow. The sky was clear, and not a single cloud lingered over the heads of the crowd. The barracks of Violet City were filled on this beautiful day. Those who gathered watched the young men and women stand in their formation, facing the stage at the head of the building. Their body armour caught the sun and glistened with the same colour as the grass they stood on. They were adorned with red scarves hung over the left side of every one of their chests, and their berets gave the impression of an unwavering ocean of green. Not a word was spoken from the crowd, not even a cheer or holler of pride was heard. Form and professionalism were all that occupied the stadium.

This was a graduation ceremony. After four years of intense training and studying, the new roster of the Violet Region's ranger corp stood proud and silent. All eyes met the headmaster as he appeared on the stage. His well built frame was adorned with a formal blue uniform that was decorated with all manner of medals and various badges from the gyms of the Johtan province. He slammed his foot to the wood of the stage, and the impact echoed through the stadium. At once the almost one hundred men and women slammed their feet as well, sending a rumble through the seats of the onlookers.

He cleared his throat, and began to give his annual speech. The first half of which was simply reciting the oaths that these men and women had given. He spoke until the shadows of the high standing walls shortened as noon approached. Somewhere in the crowd, amber eyes fluttered as they struggled to remain opened in the long spoken and dragged out address.

Finally, the tail end of the speech was delivered in the form of a passage written long ago, in a time when Johto wasn't even an idea in the minds of Sinnoh's government. "Though the staraptor may soar too close to the sun, its wings will not break against the heat. For its will shall not allow it. We may face the eyes of Darkrai, but we will not flinch, for our will shall not allow it. The vows you have made these past four years direct you onto the path of probity in the interest of your fellow men, women, and their pokemon. You made this promise to yourselves, your families, and your friends. Do not allow cowardliness to betray you of those vows. You are the very cornerstone of safety on the routes of Johto."

He paused, and scanned the faces of the graduates, who's ages varied. Some were experienced guards making a transition, others were middle aged men or women who looked to be of service to the region. For the most part, it was youth who had decided on this path.

"Fire, Ice, and Sky," he concluded.

The words he had spoken had been drilled into them for the past four years, and would not easily be forgotten. Not to say cowards were not within their ranks.

His hand moved to his waste, and he spun around while releasing the pokemon from its ball all in one fluid motion. The white light congealed as the sounds of the atomization bounced off the walls with their otherworldly buzz and hum. The pokemon's red eyes met its trainers, and scanned the crowd as it took in the clues to what it was to do. The experienced and old dog had done this many times before, and it slowly walked up beside the headmaster, who had turned back to the crowd.

"In the presence of this sacred arcanine, you will listen to these blessings given to us by the monks of the Sprout Tower," the headmaster said he he began to step towards the back of the stage.

As the headmaster made way, a white robed man appeared , his head down and hidden underneath his hood. He moved with elegance and flow that betrayed anyone's notion that he was nervous in front of the crowd. He stopped at the very edge of the stage, and his hands lifted in front of him as if to present his words as a physical object.

"May Ho-oh's fire guide you if lost," his soft and young voice told the crowd. "May Lugia's cries guide you to those in need. May Celibi's eternal grace watch over you in times when one's life relies on yours, and may you stand strong and balanced, like the bellsprout." A faint hum of those who could not contain their chuckles emitted quietly through the crowed. This was common, and even the monks where known to be lighthearted about their seemingly absurd reverence. "May Mesprit have created your heart. Azelf and Uxie your mind. Go forth, and keep this world in the balance of ebb and flow."

The stadium returned to silence, and the monk bowed to them before he turned to leave the stage.

Not another word was spoken. The headmaster stepped forward and raised his hand into the sky, and at once, the arcanine released a flash of fire from its mouth. The flames caught to the torches which hovered over the recruits, held in place by psychics that were hidden in the rafters.

"You will leave the stadium in Apiou Formation." He stomped his foot one last time, and held his hand over his heart in a salute.

His salute was returned with a collective stomp.

For the next five minutes, the graduates filtered out of the stadium, continuing their formal and restrained demeanor as a group. At least, until they left the stadium, then their faces changed. Joy and celebrations were had.

One of the graduates left the stadium as he ran his hand through his short brown hair, which didn't fall past his ears. Although unlike Zachary, he had the aestheticism to attempt a style. His eyes where a dark brown, appearing black unless hit by direct light, although most would be too distracted by his features. He was a handsome man, more so than Zach, and the subtle smile he always wore made him a very approachable and very easy man to get along with. He had been told that this trait would make him a good ranger, as he was the kind of man to let bad stress fly past him like water off a squirtle's back.

He had the makings of a ranger even before the four years of intensive exercise and studying. This was a job he was born for.

He scanned the scene. Vendors had set up many booths in the absence of the automobiles that normally sparsely dotted the small parking lot in front of the barracks, reserved for the outrageously wealthy, or for the extremely well connected.

As large crowds of people filtered out of every door of the building, the area came to life with the sounds of vendors advertising their wears to people who would stop and look. A small independent business profiting off a large group of people was not uncommon in Violet City, nor was it frowned upon. The economy of the frontier was not as strong as people would have liked, and many people had to do what they could to get by. Anything that kept the money in circulation, or brought trade from Goldenrod, was welcome.

You worked or you left. That was the frontier. No dead weight was tolerated.

The new graduate began a perusal of his surroundings, many of his fellow graduates had already met up with their families, hugs and smiles in abundance on the features of many. He could tell which ones did not wish to remain in the city, he could tell exactly which ones wanted to go for the very top and work for the Indigo Plateau.

His aspirations were similar, but his expression did not match their stoic ones. His eyes were smiling, as they always did, a faint smile ever present on his features. He observed his surroundings with the confidence he had earned over his long training. Such a thing was worth working for, but he was perfectly fine with settling to the Violet Region. He had ties in this city that were stronger than any aspirations for honour or prestige.

He began to move closer to the vendors, shoving his hands into the pockets of his green decorative pants. He sauntered casually, knowing that when he would enter the large crowd he would be the target of many of the vendors, most of the graduates were smarter than to go into such a crowd, unless they craved the attention. Adrian was a man to embrace the attention and shoot a smile to the young women who eyed the ranger.

Well, he used to be that man, but the same chains that tied him to the city were the same reason his bachelor days were long behind him.

"Congratulations, Mister Ranger," he heard a cheery and pride filled voice call out to him. He closed his eyes and smiled, turning around and instantly being met with the soft lips of his partner. He smiled and kissed her back, holding the back of her head gently. When they pulled back, he looked deep into her amber eyes, feeling a familiar sensation of warmth rise in his chest.

He kept her close, not letting her out of his gentle hold. "I guess that would make you Miss Ranger?" he said, pulling a piece of her hair behind her ear. He pulled her in again, kissing his wife gently.

When they pulled back again, he stared deep into her amber eyes. She stood only a two or three inches shorter than the six foot tall ranger, and her slender build gave her a nimbleness that her line of work almost required. Her light brown hair fell just passed her shoulders. To him, she was the most beautiful woman in the Indigo Leagues.

His best friend and constant source of the blunt honesty that kept him grounded, that was the woman that Adrian had fallen in love with.

Although the girl had been with him long, she couldn't help but blush. She had kissed this man many times before, but never when he was a ranger. Her pride for her husband was not hidden by any stretch of the imagination. In contrast to this, a spark of guilt was present on her features. "Sorry my parents couldn't make it," she said with an embarrassed wince.

"Ah," Adrian scoffed, taking a step back and waving his hand before his face. "They would have been bored anyway," he passed off. Then he looked at her, and smirked. He pointed an accusing finger at her. "I saw you sitting directly behind the headmaster, you were nodding off," he mocked.

She let out an embarrassed laugh, pushing him gently. "I was not. I was making sure Quen stayed at my feet."

"Ha! Like she would ever disobey an order form me. You were noddin' off," he said with his grin maintained, one of the many joys he had in life was bugging his significant other. He grin lessened into a smile. "How was she, by the way?" he pressed.

"She was good. Practically stared at you the whole time."

The newly graduated ranger rubbed the back of his neck. "She could see me through all those folks?"

His wife nodded, and she pulled the pokeball from off of her belt. "Ya' got a good one here, Adrian," she said in her poorly executing mocking of her husband's small town cadence.

Adrian chuckled as he took the pokeball in his hands. He stared at the orb with pride. "Sorry you couldn't be down there with me, baby girl," he whispered to the ball.

She watched the moment with a smile, knowing how hard they had worked for this moment. She folded her arms over her chest, remembering the days when she would chastise him for the frequency which both Quen and himself had become injured. "So. What's the plan then?" she said after she grew tired of standing in the crowd.

"I thought we grabbin' some drinks with Paul and Natalie."

She smiled, shaking her head. "You know what I mean. In the next few days."

Adrian chuckled. "I want to go down to New Bark to tell Professor Elm. He'd be happy to hear I made it through with the pokemon he gave me."

"And I'm coming with you?" the girl asked expectantly.

"If ya' want. Honestly, Amy, it's not the most dangerous trip, A lot of the pokemon there are simple normal-types," he admitted, shrugging before letting his arms fall to his side. "Just watch for weedle."

"I'll see if the pokemon center will give me the time off," Amy said vacantly, her thoughts falling into conceptualizing how she was going to ask her boss.

"I think they wouldn't have an issue with it. There're a lot of other nurses who could fill your schedule for the week."

"Ok, Adrian. Mister Optimistic," she said mockingly.

"Hey," Adrian retorted. "That's Ranger Optimistic."

Amy shook her head and smiled at the cheesy joke. Adrian snorted a short laugh and took her hand in his as they began to walk away from the market, daring not attract that sort of attention. Although Adrian would have enjoyed the ego-boost from the many congratulations he would have received.

"I'm sorry, ranger?" they heard a genial voice call from behind them. "But did I couldn't help but overhear you wanting to visit Professor Elm?"

The graduate and his wife both stopped at the address, but it was Amy who turned her head. Adrian, on the other hand, wanted to hide his grin at the anticipation of being able to help someone as a ranger right out of the gates.

"We did say that, yes," she welcomed as she turned more towards him, her hand still in her husband's.

Adrian also turned, and saw a man who had to have been in his fifties. His graying hair stopped halfway down his head, where his forehead had claimed dominance. His wrinkled face was stuck in a familiar expression of kindness, but his eyes told of past experiences that Adrian would rather not pry him for.

"And that would be in New Bark Town, yes?"

"Yes." He released his wife's hand, turning around to fully face the man. "Is there something I can help you with?" he asked, his tone becoming deeper and more confident. His new job as a ranger might be getting off the ground already.

"If I recall, that is a five day trip, and you look eager to make it," he said as he held his arms out to his sides, glancing at his waste. "As you can see, I have no pokemon, but I have something that needs to be taken to him. It is very important that he has it. I have no protection, so I can't make the trip on my own."

The only thing Adrian felt was a sense of youthful pride, someone was already calling on his aid. "Are you asking for an escort?" the ranger returned in a professional tone. Through practice he found he could speak formally, and his small town drawl could be hidden.

The man shook his head, and fished into the pockets of his loose fit pants. "Oh, there's no need for that," he said as he pulled out a cloth covered sphere from his deep pockets. "This is what I want him to see. I don't even need to come along."

They stood for a moment, Adrian looking at the cloth. He was never one to bury someone in questions if they had asked him for a favour. "I don't see the harm," he said as he turned to Amy. "What about you, hun?"

The nurse has been looking into the man's eyes since he had first got their attention, and she felt a sensation of unease. Those eyes were troubled, but not in a sense that meant the young couple harm. The way he looked at her was almost pleading. To her, he seemed in need, so she shrugged and feigned a smile. "Of course. It's what you do, right?"

"Right," the ranger answered as he turned to the man again. "Consider the job done."

"Fantastic!" the man said in a fit of joy as he stepped towards Adrian and handed him the object with a youthful vigor that caught the ranger off guard. "Tell him it's from the motherland," he said with a wink.

Amy's eyes narrowed some as she focused on his voice. In the pit of his excitement, she thought she could hear an undertone of some accent. Something buried in his voice. Her husband, on the other hand, noticed nothing.

Adrian nodded with an eyebrow raised in surprise. "This came all the way from Sinnoh to be studied in Elm's lab?" he said in exasperation. "Wow. He's really takin' off."

The man shrugged. "He's becoming important, that's for sure. Maybe he'll change the world. One way or the other," he answered with a nod. "Anyways, thank you two very much, the world needs more people willing to do the right thing," he said as he turned to walk into the crowd again. After one step, he stopped and turned again. "I also heard that he has a new assistant at his lab. Came all the way from Eterna City to work for him. Give him my best as well," he said as he nodded to the couple again and turned.

He looked down at the object he had been handed, and shoved it into his pocket. He watched the man vanish into the crowd, and felt the lightweight orb against his thigh.

"Adrian!" he heard called out behind him. Amy was in a jog towards the road, where a vehicle the shape of a wooden box on wheels sat and waited. "You're gonna miss the tram!"

His smile returned as he set into a jog after his wife, his thoughts remaining on the new responsibility he had been given.

SC

Zach's house was mostly dark with the exception of the single lamp, which illuminated the textbooks that were scattered over his desk. Luggage from his trip was laid around the house, mostly against the wall as neatly as they could possibly be situated, but also sitting on furniture and across the floor. He hadn't fully unpacked even though he had been living in New Bark for the better part of a month at this point. He was at work more than he was home, and the welcomed opportunity for cleanliness had yet to arise for the research assistant.

Zach stepped out of his kitchen, with a glass of water, and moved across the hardwood floor towards the desk. Placing the water down, he sat, the sound of the chair against the hardwood floor resonating through the sparsely furnished room.

He hunched over the documents, studying Elm's works. He had managed to get most of it in his short time with the professor, but his findings were becoming more advanced. In such a short time, Zach had to restart his thought process with Elm's work due to new findings contradicting old ones, it was convoluted, as it always has been. That was the very essence of science, complexity.

An hour of filtering through the information passed before Zach sat back in his chair. He grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

He took a moment to look away from the papers, scanning the small narrow room. His front door sat directly behind him, a design he had still not gotten used to, but this was the only place his large desk would fit. His house was small, as were most of the homes in the village, but it was cozy. He was slowly getting used to the quiet life of the border town. He had found New Bark to be a sleepy village, and the economy was not as strong as the city he was used to.

His train of thought was interrupted by the pile of books next to him being toppled over, knocking all but one of them on the floor. Papers glided down, landing, at most, a meter from the desk. Zach sighed quietly at the mess, eyeing the culprit instantly.

The pichu sat on the desk, peeking over the edge at the mess he had just made with his small tail twitching. He sniffed around at the rest of the desk, climbing over and rustling papers as he went along. Zach only smiled at his new addition. He had come to know this particular pichu was mischievous in his young age, knocking things over and hiding behind almost any furniture Zach had possessed. There were a few times he had come late to work because he had to find the small mouse, much to Elm's understanding.

"Come here, you," he said as he leaned over and picked up the tiny pokemon, triggering a small squeak from the rodent. He sat against him in his hands, sniffing at his white shirt before looking up at his owner. Zach patted the top of his head with a single finger. "How am I supposed to get any work done with you always causing trouble?" he asked, amused at the pichu. "Riley The Chaotic. That suits you just fine."

He began to rub little pokemon on his belly. Immediately, Riley grabbed at the finger with his small hands, gnawing at it. He let loose an electrical discharge. Zach recoiled a bit at the shock, shaking his hand and opening and closing it. Thankfully, at his young age, Riley was not powerful enough to cause harm.

"We're going to have to get that under control," Zach muttered, both to himself and the mouse.

He set Riley down on the desk and began to pick up the papers and books. He stacked them neatly, pushing them to the back end of the table where they couldn't be accidentally knocked off. Riley immediately moved for the books, but to Zach's pleasure he simply leaned his back against them and closed his eyes.

Things were finally starting to wind down at his place. Between Leo and Riley, he had his hands full with training and caring for the pokemon. He couldn't imagine what kind of person would want six of them at a time, the training would be constant, the needs would be vastly different. Even feeding them would be a hassle. This and juggling his studies were proving a challenge for the researcher.

The interruption had proven to completely throw him out of the mood to study any further that night, and he leaned back in his chair, feeling his shirt stick to his back. Johto was far south from Sinnoh, on the other end of the expansive area known as The Badlands, as a result, very little cold air came from the north, and the province was far warmer than his northern homeland. After almost a month, he began to grow used to it, but he still felt the urge to clean himself of the sweat.

He glanced over to Leo, who rose his head in an instant. His trainer silently nodded towards Riley, and the fox instantly knew what Zach wanted. He lowered his ears as he stood, and crossed the room with his head down. Zach met him halfway across the room, and knelt in front of the leafeon.

"Just make sure he stays out of trouble," he said to the pokemon. "So by that, I mean make as little noise as possible to keep him sleeping."

Leo's eyes narrowed in a response. Leafeon were very sensitive to tone and emotions, as well as to express their emotions through their faces. The species were incredibly social, and they shared the trait of facial expression and recognition with humans. Zach had felt that eevee were likely among the first to form a trainer-pokemon bond.

He patted Leo on the head, and made his way to the bathroom of his new home. He closed the door behind him, and took a deep breath. Any moment of silence he could get was welcomed, even in the tawdry tiled bathroom. The washed out aqua marine tiles on the walls did nothing to make the room visually appealing, and he had considered redoing it when he had the time.

He undressed, turned on the water, and stepped into the shower to wash himself.

Then a familiar sensation crept in behind his eyes.

He leaned against the wall, rubbing his temples. Zach had been subjected to frequent headaches for most of his life. A small pounding that usually became more immense, and that it did. He turned and leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes while he waited for the pain to subside with deep breaths.

Since he had moved to Johto they had become more frequent. Before they would come to him maybe once every few weeks, but now he was experiencing them at least twice a week. More recently, a midst the pounding in his head, he thought he could hear a faint hum with every pulse of pain. He had a theory that it was just him reacting to the warmer climate of the southern country, but he also had theories on plenty of things.

Head still pounding, he waited for a few minutes, standing with his hand on his head. He looked up towards the shower head as it continued to pour warm water on him, holding this position until the headache subsided, as it always did.

They were almost incapacitating, causing Zach to be unable to focus on anything other than the throbbing. The duration of them was odd. They never lasted more than a few minutes. His mother had told him it was just remnants of the stress from his fathers passing.

He thought that was a suitable explanation.

He turned off the water and dried himself off. When he stepped out of the shower he moved over to the fogged mirror and wiped the moister away. What he saw made him chuckle habitually. He had become slightly more tan in the past few weeks, and he had developed the beginnings of bags under his eyes.

He needed sleep.

"Busy day tomorrow," Zach muttered to himself as he entered his bed room. He removed his towel and put on a pair of boxers. The spring heat of this new temperate country had taught him the valuable lesson of wearing as little as possible when possible.

He did not sleep well that night. Throughout the night his thoughts raced with the repeated images of fire and lightening flashing before him. Constantly reoccurring in front of him like a broken image. This lasted a few hours, but to Zach it felt like only moments. At last, the dream had changed. In the final moments of his slumber the dream molded into something he could perceive.

__In front of him was a large city sitting on the coast, the southern ocean cast itself far beyond Zach's perception. Within an instant the sky became a hideous dark layer of swirling clouds that engulfed the tips of the numerous skyscrapers that were cast erratically within the make believe city line. With the dark cast of the scenery came a chilling wind that washed over Zach like a ghost's embrace, chilling him to his core.__

__He breathed slowly despite the chaos that enveloped the scene before him. An odd sense of calm filed him, his heart did not race, nor did he sweat. Not until he saw a spark light in the city.__

__Through the mist of his visible breath he saw the city begin to catch ablaze, and, in an instant, the entire town had taken the scene of a hellish landscape. Houses burned to the ground, large obsidian structures began to crumble beneath the matte clouds, which had begun to cover the city with a torrent of rain.__

__When the downpour came, the fire did not yield. As the rain made contact with the warm ground, and the fire that forked out of each structure, steam began to rise up. In moments the city had become enveloped in a thin mist that rose into the air from the heat.__

__Then came the booming of thunder, roaring over Zach like a freight train. Flashes of lightening took over the scene, and Zach had to raise his arm to cover his eyes. From the peripherals of his poorly shaded vision was the constant flashing of the sky, sending forks of lightening against the skyscrapers as they began to collapse. One at a time, they fell, sending no clouds of dust from their foundation as they crumbled in on themselves.__

__From above the overpowering thunder and the cry of the frozen wind came a voice that echoed into the front of his mind. For a moment it sounded distant, as if it was on the other end of the ocean the city sat against. "Come," it said calmly.__

__An eerie and high pitched sound emitted in the distance, sounding like the combination of a scream and a train whistle before the dark clouds rushed forward towards Zach, and the voice boomed a second time. "__**_**Come!**_**__"__

Zach awoke that morning in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. His eyes scanned the room that had been painted orange, through his window, by the rising sun. Casting the long shadow of Riley across the room as he lie on the windowsill. Zach sat up slowly, steadying his breathing as his mind raced with the images he had just born witness to. He raised himself on the bed and leaned his back against its headboard, running his hand across his forehead to wipe the sweat off his brow.

Leo stood in the doorway, scanning Zach and slowly wagging his tail. Zach looked back at him for a moment. "I'm fine, bud," he said quietly to the leafeon. "It was just a nightmare."

At once the pokemon moved across the room towards Zach's bed, resting his chin on the sheets. Zach scratched him between his ears, feeling the light scrape of the mossy texture of his fur. Sounding a heavy sigh, he removed the blankets to stand up.

"I guess I can't dwell on it, we have more important things today." Zach told his pokemon who looked at him with minimal understanding of his words. For the most part a well trained leafeon was able to read a situation by it's own intuition alone, only selectively knowing a few words of the common language.

Zach took another quick shower to wash the sweat off himself, the scenery of his dream clinging to the front of his mind's eye like a blanket.

Once he got out of the shower and gotten dressed, he sat down on the couch in his living room, filtering through his field equipment through the advice of a list Elm had provided for him. Leo sat next to him, eyeing the various tools that were scattered across the table. When he heard the sound of something falling in the other room he left to investigate. Playing big brother to the pichu had seemed to occupy a lot of the leafeon's time.

Zach spent the next few minutes ensuring he was properly equipped, and left anything he deemed unnecessary on the table. By the end of it, his bag was light, but held enough for an overnight trip.

He whistled for Leo, who came around the corner. Glancing around the room before sitting on his haunches, he looked at Zach as if asking if it was time to leave.

"Just one more thing," he answered his silent companion as he moved across the room and dug into one of the many bags of luggage. He produced a sleeping bag and tied it on the bottom end of his pack. Had it gone on the top it would hamper his ability to go prone at a moments notice, a small trick he had picked up years ago.

The final addition to his outfit, which consisted of jeans, running shoes, a white shirt and black sweater, was the knife he strapped to his belt. The sizable blade sat in its holster, the black handle not protruding enough to catch on any foliage.

He grabbed a pokeball from his desk and moved into his room, retrieving the small mouse that had begun to chew at the leg of his bed. Shaking his head, he put the ball inside his unzipped sweater, a magnetic slab holding it in place.

Everything was ready, he threw the bag over his shoulders and moved through the door, Leo in toe. The rest of the day would be on the field.

* * *

****Thanks to those who read, favourited and followed.****


	3. Tribulations

"Morning, Zach," Elm enthused the moment his assistant walked through the doors. "I'll get you briefed as soon as I finish packing." He ducked out of Zach's line of sight behind the pile of boxes that closed off his desk from the rest of the laboratory.

Zach moved towards his desk. The textbooks and pencils that were scattered on it were the remnants of last nights war to cram as much info about the local wildlife before they left. He could recall most of the important information, which was supplemented by two weeks of cramming.

He sat, scanning the lab, which was devoid of any of his other coworkers. Not a single shadow, of any human, was cast by the still rising sun, which filtered its early morning light into the lab through the eastern windows.

Zach let out a yawn, making sure to keep it quiet so the professor wouldn't hear him. Although his dream still flickered through his mind, he needed to focus. The field was no place to be distracted and the very essence of caution was required.

Elm emerged after a few minutes, stuffing papers into his bag and checking his watch. "Ok," he breathed. "We have two objectives today. There's a group of sentret I want to check on. I've been tracking them for a few weeks and I'm certain their mating season is coming up." He paused for a moment, losing his train of thought as a single chart flew out of the mess of paper which were absentmindedly crammed into his satchel. He quickly picked it up, scanned the paper to see what it was, and began to organize his bag. "We'll then head west to work maintenance on some sensors. Since that trip is halfway to Cherrygrove we'll stop for the night and return in the morning." Elm ran his hands through his brown hair, releasing a large breath of air before smiling. "It'll be a bit of a trip. You up for it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Since we were on the field in Sinnoh I expect we'll have little trouble communicating," Elm said, adjusting the straps on his backpack. He frowned. "I do have a word of warning."

Zach didn't say anything, only cocking an eyebrow at his boss.

Elm cleared his throat. "I picked up some weird signatures on the radar. It looks like skarmory are coming down from the mountains. We should have nothing to worry about, but be aware that Leo can't do much to them."

Zach nodded in confirmation. "Any idea why they've come so far south?"

Elm shook his head, his face growing into a frown as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Not a clue. I'll look into it once we get these sensors maintained." He looked at his watch. "If we want to get to them and be done by nightfall, we need to get moving."

Zach nodded and shouldered his bag.

SC

"They should be right up here," Elm said quietly. This was the first thing Elm had said since they left New Bark. It was smart to say as little as possible when outside of the walls as to not attract any attention.

They both moved quietly through the rocky terrain. Steadily making their way up the mountain forest to the north of town. Elm scanned his surrounding warily, he wasn't a trainer, but he had received extensive training from Professor Oak about survival. Zach's main priority was the professor's safety.

Professors were not always esteemed Pokemon trainers, they couldn't always defend themselves. Only the legendary Professor Oak held the status of both reigning professor and accomplished trainer. He had saved his small town of Pallet from being wiped off the map multiple times thanks to the power of his companions, and his ability to inspire the minds of many young people in the tiny valley town. It was no secret that Pallet had become known as a producer of strong and enthusiastic trainers. Giving rise to some of the finest trainers in the Kanto region.

Zach had come to learn that Elm idolized his former teacher. He had frequently fallen victim to the enthusiastic droning of Elm speaking highly of Oaks theories and debating them with his own. They had often moved their conversations to the pub for a few drinks while they discussed, in depth, their own theories on how and why Pokemon evolved. Of course Elm's theories drove Zach's into the ground. There was a reason Elm was a rising star in the scientific community and Zach was just an assistant.

They moved silently, keeping themselves low and hidden. There was no such thing as being too careful when on the field with a professor. Although Elm had not yet received the status of reigning professor of the Johtan province, his contributions to the research of pokemon were irrefutably important. With those considerations aiding the assistants motivation, Zach took his job extremely seriously. His entire demeanor changed when he was protecting his boss. He rarely spoke, and his concentration was as strong as a rock. The corrosion of time and dull tasks did nothing to break that focus.

Zach adjusted the straps of his travel kit, tightening them around his shoulders as the heavy bag swayed on his back in his crouched position. He looked behind him at Leo, who was following the contingent up the mountain as they drew closer to their destination, his tail unfolded and held against his back, ready to strike at any moment. They had since left behind the deciduous forest, only passing by single standing coniferous foliage.

Finally, they had reached their destination; a small pocket of trees. Both Elm and Zach took a prone position as they inched their way closer to the spot. Leo did the same, but with far more ease thanks to his evolutionary advantage. They laid motionless in the grass, remaining hidden from the skittish rodents. Which had become redundant once they both noticed there were no sentret to be seen. Not so much as a burrow had been made in the area.

"I wonder if we're too early," Elm muttered to himself. After a few moments of looking out into the miniature forest, he sighed and removed his pack to produce a spreadsheet. His eyes darted over the piece of paper, his mouth tightening as he did so. Frustrated, he lowered the paper and looked back out towards the trees. "They should have been here for at least a week," he grumbled.

Not a single movement. Elm had anticipated the area to be crawling with mating sentret. Wanting to observe and gather data on their habits. His impatience was understandable, sentret were a common species, and having not seen something so abundant do something so simple was baffling.

Zach scanned the clearing. Paying less attention to his surroundings now since Leo's senses greatly outdid his. When he looked into the clearing he saw only the rays of light from the sun beaming through the tops of the trees. The opportunity was simply missed.

Zach had thought the outing had been odd. They had not seen so much as a pidgey since they left the town, a Pokemon that was usually in abundance. Even sentret were seen often, scampering around the forest floor and through the mountain. Something in the ecosystem had changed, driving the pokemon out of the mountains. "What would cause this?" he asked himself, expecting no answer from the professor.

He was right in that regard. His answer did not come from Elm, but from something far more haunting. His answer came from up the mountain, echoing through the rocks like a wave of nightmares. Blood curdling screams filled the air. The sounds of something meeting a terrible fate. The cries carried through the rocks and the trees, being unmistakable in its source. Somthing had met the apex predator of the route. Something that could easily kill it. A screech rang through the mountain, its sound had a metallic ring to it, as though the high frequency call had been resonating inside a metal chamber.

Elm's complexion went pale and sweat was visible on his brow. Zach remained motionless on the ground, doing not so much as turn his head to look for the source. The screaming was becoming increasingly muffled and weak. This predator did not kill clean.

After a few haunting seconds the sound subsided when the calls simply cut out just as soon as it had began. For a few moments the silence almost seemed to have a weight, not so much as a birds call accompanied them. The distracting sounds still echoed through their minds. It was not something so easily forgotten. This project would have to be cut short.

A minute passed, but to Zach it felt far longer, the tension of the moment being carried in his mind like a tarp covering his senses. He was almost paralyzed with fear. He had never experienced it before, not even when he came near death. Physical threats were one thing for Zach, he had his endurance and fortitude, but a mental assault was an entirely different issue. Even Elm didn't seem to be used to the sound.

"Time to move," Elm said in a whisper as he slowly and carefully raised himself, glancing around in every direction. As they packed the paper into Elm's satchel, Leo began to circle the group, his tail raised over his back in a position to strike at any moment.

Within moments they were on the move. Traveling, hastily southwest, down the mountain. They sacrificed safety for speed. Periodically stopping to take a crouching position as they scanned the terrain behind them. Whatever had killed that man had been distant, but if it was aviary then that meant distance wasn't much of a factor. During one of these stops, Zach decided he wanted to ask Elm what his thoughts on it were, but the professor simply replied with "Take a guess."

Zach immediately made the connection, for the rest of the trip he included the skies in his constant sweeping of their surroundings. Looking for the sun to glint off a steel carapace overhead. The new question was the location of the pokemon.

Zach remained silent, pushing the questions, of who the man might have been, to the back of his mind. He dared not break his concentration, anything could happen at any second, and he would be damned if it was in the single moment he was distracted.

SC

They continued to trudge through the wilderness for the rest of the day, only being accompanied by the low lying branches of the trees, which extended like large men reaching out their hands to point out the way for the travelers.

After a few hours Elm came to a stop and scanned the forest around them, he pocketed his compass and produced a map from his bag.

The professor raised the paper in order to move it out of the blanket of shadows that the high rising trees cast over the group. Zach took the other end of the map, allowing the large sheet to be held with more convenience.

Elm looked over the map and sighed, placing his finger on a section of it. "We're here," he explained. "and these sensors are here." He pointed to another part of the map that was exceptionally distant from where the group currently stood. He took the map from Zach and folded it, putting it into his satchel before he began to scan to trees around them. "Honestly, we might have to do it tomorrow," he sighed. "Lets look for a place to set up camp."

"I remember a good place a few minutes back," Zach said, throwing his thumb over his shoulder. "I remember it having a good branch hanging over it so Leo can have a look-out perch, and ditches if we need to hide."

Elm smiled and smacked Zach on the shoulder as he walked past him, his grin growing as he started to speak. "Perfect, but there's no need for those ditches, if something was going to find us the fire would be a dead giveaway."

"Don't you think it's a bit warm for a fire, sir?" Zach asked hesitantly, not wanting to come off as impudent.

As they both began to move to a clearing Zach had pointed out, Elm retorted, pulling a branch out of the path to make for easier passage. "You're not used to this climate yet," Elm stated "Once you adapt to the heat, you'll find the night can get pretty chilly. Honestly be glad you didn't move to Hoenn."

Elm stopped in his tracks, his face twisting into a surprised shock upon seeing the large claw marks on the trees that surrounded them.

Zach continued, unaware of his boss's trepidation. "Isn't there a conf-"

The conversation was cut short when Leo let out a single bark, raising his tail to his back. Elm and Zach crouched, moving back in order to close distance with the pokemon. They scanned the trees, the darkening forest seemed to close around them as the sun began to settle. A few seconds passed, and nothing was heard in the forest around them. Only the sounds of distant chirping.

The silence was broken by the sound of a small tree being toppled, crashing to the ground like a falling giant. When it landed it presented the culprit, a large bipedal pokemon. It stood staring at the group, its eyes dark as the night. It let forward a loud roar, its mouth beginning the fainted signs of energy build up. When the small head of the massive Pokemon lurched forward, a hyper beam flew from the monsters maw, reducing any trees in its wake to nothing.

Zach's eyes widened. He spun around and lunged immediately at Elm, toppling the professor over onto the ground. When the two hit the forest floor, the force of the energy from the beam's impact flung them a few meters, creating a large crater where they had stood a moment before.

The large bulking animal stood for a while, panting at the expense of its energy. It made a slow approach to the two prone figures, who were preoccupied with gathering their senses. Its large bulk being carried on two short legs.

A beige blur flew past it, and it roared in pain. The brown fur on its broad shoulder began to soak with blood, matting down the fur as it ran down its arm slowly. Leo landed behind it, barking his challenge to the bear. In an instant it turned, bringing its large arm around to strike the fox.

Leo jumped out of the way of the attack, a large cloud of dirt and leaves exploding behind him from the impact. He landed in a wide stance, exposing his sharp tail. The edges were amrked wtih crimson as a legacy of his attack.

"Shit," Zach hissed, rising to his feet. He staggered a bit, holding himself up against a tree while he watched the large mass of fur move in on the leafeon. He reached for Elm's hand, helping the professor to his feet before leading him into a run through the forest."Leo!" he called "We're leaving!"

Immediately, the leafeon spun around and took the run with them. Bounding beside them at a distance, leaping over logs and dodging trees as he flew by them.

Zach heard another roar from behind him. Through his still gathering cognizance he heard the loud ringing of energy and his heart jumped into his throat.

He swiftly changed his direction, pulling Elm along with him. Where they stood not seconds before, the forest exploded. Zach screamed and dropped to his knee as he felt a sharp impact of something bed itself into his shoulder. He swore silently to himself, looking back to find a shard of wood embedded in his flesh.

Elm, now leaning against a tree, looked back briefly to catch the sight of his injured assistant. He pushed himself off of the oak, approaching Zach and holding a hand out to him. The gesture was interrupted by the deep bellowing roar from the, now charging, ursaring.

Through the dark forest floor, it kicked up sticks and leaves as it ran, leaving behind footprints the size of Zach's head, not including the three large claws. Zach sucked in a deep breath before the pokemon could close the final distance. He lunged forward, diving out of the way of the pokemon's charge.

It grabbed a tree, using the momentum to help swing itself around, but it used the shoulder Leo had wounded and it winced, taking a moment to deal with the pain that shot through its body. Zach pulled the knife from his belt and dodged to the other end of the tree it stood next to. Taking a moment to time it right, he struck, digging the knife deep into the back of the distracted ursaring's leg. Without hesitation he pulled it to the side, cutting the pokemon's hamstrings. Zach felt the burning pain shoot through his arm and back as the irritated wound hollered in its need for attention.

The ursaring roared in pain, dropping to its knee. It attempted to hold itself up, but its shoulder wound began to send the matting of its fur down to its belly. The behemoth fell onto the forest floor over the weakened support.

Leo emerged from the forest, jumping over the wounded pokemon's head and landing on its back. In wasting no time, he began his assault, furiously slashing the back of the ursaring's neck with his tail. Each swing brought a new gash, increasing the number of leaking lacerations across the ursarings neck and shoulders. The pokemon writhed, reaching behind its shoulder, but the agile fox only leaped off of it.

As it landed, he immediately prepared to go back on top of the bear. His intention was to cut the major artery Zach had taught him each pokemon possessed, but as soon as he left the ground, the bear rolled over on its side, raising its good paw and connecting with the leafeon's underside. From the strike, Leo flew back, impacting a tree with a whack that made Zach's heart drop.

He stood for a second, checking if his pokemon was going to make it, but his attention snapped when he heard the building of energy. The bears mouth opened, aiming at Leo for a fatal blow. Zach gripped his knife and dashed around the tree.

Zach was not a violent or cruel man, but he could not deny the urgency of the situation. He saw two options, and neither of them appealed to the young research assistant. In the split second he was in movement, he had to make a decision. Deprive the bear of oxygen, or take the more direct attack. One would leave the ursaring alive long enough to get the hyper beam ready and his leafeon would be dead. Zach had to put his morals aside, and he would need to take the more direct attack.

Ignoring the pain that screamed at him through his shoulder, Zach drove his knife forward, penetrating the pokemon's eye. When the knife glided into the ursaring's socket, its hyper beam undeveloped in its mouth.

He stopped for a moment to observe the state of his assailant. Its single eye looked into Zach's as the life receided. Zach took the knife out again, and it slumped to the ground.

He stood over the body of the enormous pokemon, observing the wounds the two of them had inflicted to it during the fight. He never took pride in killing a pokemon, but he was also never one to question exigency.

Somberly, he turned his head. Watching Leo slowly bring himself to a stand. The pokemon simply shook off the hit, his eyes scanning the scene. This pokemon was capable of taking a good beating every now and then, but this was a threat they had never encountered, and it might have been the end of him. Zach took a note to ask Elm about this species, as it was never mentioned in his research.

Once Leo saw Zach, he trotted forwards, bringing himself up to meet his trainer in celebration. His ears fell back against his head, and his tail flickered relentlessly as he sniffed Zach.

Calling the pokemon down, he ordered him to check for any more threats. He turned to Elm, who emerged from the bushes. The professor produced his glasses from his pocket, eyeing the ursaring up and down.

Through a heavy breath, Elm sighed. "I wasn't expecting one of those," he said. "I'm sorry you had to do that. Ursaring usually stay in the mountains."

The assistant ran his hand through his hair, feeling the moisture of the collected sweat. Zach grimaced and his hand shot to his shoulder as if he was shot. Zach immediately fell his his knees, the grip on his shoulder tightening when the presence of the wooden shard made itself abundantly clear.

"That's priority," Elm said sternly. "Let me fix you up and set up camp."

"We can't stay here," Zach groaned, looking over the large carcass that laid, face first, beside a large tree. "What if they travel in pairs?

"They do," Elm said. "I never said we were staying here." Elm crouched down, putting Zach's injured arm around his neck, and carried him.

Zach, bringing himself to bare the pain, that shot through his neck and back, ordered Leo to do a perimeter check in case of the second ursaring.

After Leo had made sure the area was safe, they pressed on, eventually coming to a very small break in the bushes and trees. The area only had enough space for a fire and the two adults, but it would do. Elm ordered Zach to lay down, producing a bed sheet from his bag. He laid it down, and Zach laid face down on top of it.

Elm produced tweezers, disinfectant, stitches, and gauze. He went to work on dealing with the wound. He removed the splinters and immediately put the disinfectant to work. After the wound was cleaned it was stitched up and bandaged. Zach hated every minute of it, but he did not protest. He said very little during the procedure, but he couldn't help but reminisce about his old life in Sinnoh, were he would receive this kind of treatment from another coworker.

"You know," Zach chuckled. "This was usually Dawn's job. Rowan never got his hands dirty with the medical supplies."

Elm simply grunted. "You two seemed close, I guess you two have been through a lot?"

Zach simply grunted in confirmation, wincing when Elm began the stitching. "He insisted the both of us accompany him whenever he did field work. I guess he wanted to show Dawn how things worked before she takes over his lab." He winced again when the needle entered his flesh. "She had to patch me up a lot."

When the procedure was done, Zach took a moment before raising himself up. He staggered over towards a tree and sat against it, being careful not to agitate his bandages. He produced his dinner from his bag, and Leo's food.

Leo took his rations, of nuts and dried meat, and climbed up a tree behind Zach. Once he had found a branch that sat over the group, he rested on it, slowly eating at his meal as he continuously canning his surroundings.

Zach reached into his jacket and released Riley. This would be the first time Zach had seen the pichu outside of the lab or his house, and he wanted to get him used to the field. The security of the camp fire would be a good place to start. Even if the young pokemon decided to stay inside Zach's jacket.

"Zach. What you did back there." Elm motioned into the forest. "I'm impressed. I've never seen that kind of display."

Zach simply looked into the fire. "We've been doing this for a long time," he said flatly.

Elm looked up at the leafeon with an amused confusion. "I thought I remember hearing that leafeon were pacifistic," he mused.

Zach, taking the time to swallow his food, glanced up briefly at Leo before looking across the fire to Elm. "He usually is, but he's been trained by me since I was eight." Zach paused for a moment, looking above him to his companion, remembering their long training sessions in the Eterna City gym. "He knows how to fight, and he takes advantage of that." He rose a spoon full of beans to his mouth with his good arm. "Their tails are naturally serrated, I can't imagine they are too susceptible to threats."

"I think giving you that pichu was a good investment then. He'll be a good team member when he grows into a pikachu. Think you can handle him?"

Zach, feeling the cold metal of the pokeball inside his jacket, swallowed another spoonful of beans before responding. "Their growth rate is accelerated by a close bond, right?"

Elm, quickly swallowing his food to answer, coughed once before answering. "Serotonin stimulates the growth hormones, yes. At least, ah, that's one theory," he admitted with a shrug as he produced many documents from his pack, laying them over his bedroll. He began to read over them silently, taking down the occasional note as he went. Zach sat quietly for the next hour, watching the forest around them slowly dim before being lit only by their fire.

Zach sat with his leg outstretched and his arm falling over his knee. He watched the flames dance and flicker in their place, as if they wanted to escape their containment. He recounted what he read about pikachu in Elm's research, knowing he would have to train its speed and stamina to be effective.

He had begun to wander thoughtfully over his knowledge of training. The visions and sounds of the gym reverberated through his mind. He had worked hard to get where he was, but something poked at him. He couldn't shake the question about why it was him in Johto.

"Professor, I need to ask you something," Zach said abruptly.

"Oh? Sure. Go ahead," Elm raised his gaze from his papers for the first time since they had set up their camp.

"You knew me in Eterna City. You were acquainted with professor Rowan and my mother. You had the choice between Dawn or myself. She's an absolute genious. Surely she would have had more value to your research. And her pokemon," Zach emphasized by holding his fist up. "Strong. Like nothing I have ever seen." He lowered his fist and brought his knees to his chest, being careful not to agitate his wound. "Yet, here I am." He paused for a moment. "I just would like to know the absolute reason, s-sir," he added at the last moment, not wanting to be disrespectful.

Elm simply snorted out a laugh. "I don't think Rowan would have appreciated me taking his only granddaughter to the frontier," he joked. "I would say you demonstrated the answer today, but I know you're looking for an answer deeper than that." He paused, conceptualizing his next words. "Zach, Dawn might be smart, but she doesn't possess your mulishness. After Rowan had told me about how you saved his life in Eterna Forest I knew for sure. Even when he was tied up in a cabin in the middle of the forest, you didn't give up. That's what I admire about you," He pushed his glasses closer to his face, the fire reflecting off of it like a well cleaned mirror. "How did you guys find him again? Tire marks?"

"Tire marks," Zach said, almost at the same time as Elm, his head nodding and a proud grin crossing his features. He sat for a moment, contemplating his next sentence."Honestly, sir. Dawn was the one who devised the plan to save him."

"Yes, but Rowan was her family. Anyone would have done that for their family, but you still went with her to help. You're loyal, and also stubborn," he held up his hand to Zach. "D-don't take that the wrong way," he shuddered. When he chuckled nervously. He continued, "You don't give up. You poke at a problem until you get through it, and then the answer is clear to you. I need people like that." As Elm's enthusiasm built, he became more animated, his words being emphasized by every hand gesture Zach could imagine. "I need people like that out here if I want me and my lab to be recognized as Johto's leading Pokemon research authority, and I am so close, Zach." His face held a grimace, "So close! I can just sense it." He sat for a moment, looking at his assistant, who's eyes fell continuously between the fire and his professor. "Do you know what it is I want to achieve?"

"Domestic breeding," Zach answered.

"Well, yeah. I think the farmers must love my work, but he have domestic breeding, Zach. Give Johto a smidgen of credit." Elm chuckled, placating his condescending tone. "No. My thesis includes breeding methods on pokemon who are actually valuable as battlers. I want people to be able to have their own powerful pokemon without risking their lives in the wild to get one, or having to tame a feral. It would make life a lot easier out here. Hell, everywhere. Sinnoh wouldn't have to spend so much money on patrolling the routes because more people would be able to defend themselves. Settlements out here would be able to defend themselves better." He sat back, laying on the cold ground as he put his hands behind his back. "I think it would be the greatest advancement in human security since the pokedex." He sighed, "I'm surprised it took us this long to analyze the stimuli required, but we're close." He sat quietly for a moment in reflection.

Zach sat quietly as he absorbed Elm's words. It was true that the world needed what Elm was striving for. Pokemon roamed the world in every corner, and most of them were extremely dangerous, leaving humans to fight for their very existence on the planet.

"How did you get Riley then?" Zach pressed, seeing the hole in his logic.

Elm's face grew into a frown. "Before I went to Sinnoh, I paid a visit to professor Oak. He and I went into the Viridian forest for old time's sake. We found a nest. The mother passed during the birth, and he was exposed. So I brought him back to my lab," he said autonomously, as though we wanted to talk about something else.

Zach only blinked. Understanding, about how important this pichu was to Elm, dawning on him. There was a bond there, and he wanted to ask why Elm didn't give him to his son, but he pushed it into the back of his mind. Not everyone had the aptitude to command a pokemon.

Elm sat silent for a moment. "I'm calling it a night now. Wake me if anything else tries to eat us," he joked. Before he pulled the sleeping bag over him, he looked at Zach. "We're still pretty close to the mountain, so please be careful about what you do."

A few hours passed, and Zach remained still the entire time. He would have loved to sleep, but the thoughts of last nights dream, combined with the screaming they heard earlier, had denied him of any rest. He sat with his eyes closed, hoping that sleep would take him at any moment. Eventually, after a long stare into the surrounding tree line, he began to doze off.

SC

Through the thick underbrush of the forest, a figure moved. It glided over twigs and silently rustled leaves as it undulated towards its target. As it moved, a hoot-hoot frenzied out of its path, knowing for certain this large pokemon meant death.

Following its mark, it navigated through the dark forest. Its eyes maintaining its focus on the fire that glowed like a beacon, drawing the snake to it like a hunter who found it too easy to track his target.

Its long body stopped moving as it reached a thick bush that separated itself from its prey. It only hesitated for a moment before raising the front half of its body, pushing its long and slender head through the bushes with a slight rustling. Its eyes scanned the scene, two humans laid asleep, one in a sleeping bag and the other exposed to the elements against a tree. It began to slither forwards before a quiet voice ordered otherwise.

"Not yet. Let the fail safe go ahead first," it mussed in a silent, calm, and masculine voice. The seviper retracted its head before returning to its trainer's side.

He looked into the trees, a small smile crossing his face as he watched yellow spores float gently from the trees that hung over the sleeping contingent like a canopy.

The fox-like pokemon, which stood guard on top of one of the low lying branches, went slack, its head slumping against the tree as its muscles quickly ceased up, its eyes shoot wide for a moment before every part of it's body became stiff.

"A leafeon?" the young man asked himself. He somberly chuckled, shaking his head and reaching for the crossbow on his back, slowly undoing the straps that held it in place. __'Of course we run into the only other Sinnoean in this shit hole of a country'__ he thought as he raised his weapon to the paralyzed animal.

He froze his action when he heard the stirring of the man, who laid against the tree, over the seven foot tall bush. He lowered his weapon and reached for a pokeball just in case, but he smiled when the heard the sound of the spores entering the fire, signaling they had touched the ground. Everyone in the camp was immobilized, just as planned.

He looked up into the tree, bringing the crossbow around him as he smiled, looking at two sapphire eyes peering back at him from the branches. He held his hand in a fist, ordering a hold in action.

Pulling a bandanna over his mouth and nose, he stepped through the bush, his large serpent following behind him. When it emerged it hovered over Elm, and its large bladed tail still lurked behind the bush. Wincing, he quickly withdrew the pokemon, not wanting to stir any of the spores and paralyzing it The last thing he wanted in this operation was for his strongest pokemon to be unusable.

Checking the situation, he watched the faces of both people struggle as their eyes fluttered beneath their lids, unable to open them. He drew his attention towards the surrounding bush once he realized that only a wild pokemon would be a threat at this point.

A single pokeball dropped from the tree and filled the area with the brilliant light of the pokemon breaching it's containment. The vulpine and skinny humanoid stepped out of the white light, standing with the fire between it and Zach; the red crystal in its dead flickered with the flames. The kadabra scanned for its trainer, but settled when it spotted the black haired man standing next to the immobilized Elm.

Following the pokemon, a girl climbed down from the trees, her hair as equally black as her partners.

He gave her a maniacal grin, to which she hesitantly returned.

"Grab the professor and let's go. I don't want to be here when this one wakes u-" he stopped himself, snapping his fingers in a moment of inspiration. The spores on the ground had likely lost their effect when they found no muscle tissue.

He threw his pokeball behind the bush, waiting for the light to dissipate as his seviper poked its head through, his attention instantly falling on his trainer.

The man pointed to Zach. "I'll be back in a few minutes, and I want to see a nice mess when I come back," he said, grinning.

He looked over to the girl he was with, and motioned towards her kadabra. Without a word she gestured for the pokemon to approach her, which it obeyed without hesitation. She took its hand and touched the shoulder of professor Elm, receiving a frantic grunt of disapproval from their prisoner. In a second, the four of them vanished in a thinning fissure that seemed to split the air, producing a small shock wave from the portal.

With that, the only ones left at the campfire were Zach, Leo, and the monstrous snake which slithered closer to its prey.

* * *

**Zach killing the ursaring might be overpowered, but I needed a way to show that he knows what he's doing. **


	4. In Need

Leaves and twigs snapped underneath the large serpent as it made its slow approach towards Zach. Its fangs dripping with toxic fluids that hissed when they impacted the ground, instantly corroding any underbrush that made contact with the liquid.

The field assistant had, by this point, gained the ability to open his eyes. The last thing he saw was the fissure of air when some thing teleported away. That was all he had to go on, teleportation and paralysis. Those two factors would be useful to him if he were to survive this situation and find Elm. Although the odds of him surviving at this point seemed moot.

The seviper lowered its head to meet Zach's gaze, swaying it slowly back and forth as if to examine its meal. It opened its maw slightly, revealing a set of smaller teeth that occupied its mouth beyond its two forearm sized fangs. A slow hiss started from its mouth, producing a cloud of fowl breath that felt like it burned Zach's face. The assistant closed his eyes, hoping to avoid being blinded in this situation.

When his eyes opened again, he saw the bladed tail of the snake rise above its head. The pokemon had pointed it at the man's chest, twisting and turning it as if to find the best method of piercing his heart without spoiling his flesh with poisons.

Zach's heart began to race in his chest. His mind screamed at him to move, every part of the evolutionary experience of his ancestors told him to leave, to run, but that was out of the question. Zach had heard the worst way to die was paralysis from a pokemon, be it from being slowly devoured or asphyxiating from a diaphragm unable to expand.

The seviper gave what Zach might have translated at the serpent's equivalent of a grin before thrusting the poisonous tail forward. Zach's eyes wired shut the instant the tail moved.

SC

Adrian looked at his watch and sighed .

12:08

He and his wife had been walking down the poorly paved road since dinner time, a time that would seem odd to most people, but Adrian preferred to sleep under the stars with the protection of his pokemon. Even when he was young he would prefer to sleep at the top of the seaside cliff that bordered New Bark and the Johtan Sea. The fresh air always made him feel calm.

"What time is it?" Amy asked, noting his glance at the wristwatch.

He took a moment to scan the treeline with his flashlight before he answered. "Just after midnight. We should set up camp soon."

Amy turned her flashlight onto the tops of the trees that surrounded the road, catching the peak of a mountain over its barrier. "Do you know a good place to set up camp around here?

Adrian scoffed. "Do I?" he repeated. "Do you know how often I went out here while I was trainin'?"

Amy's eyes softened and her voice held a chuckle. "At least every chance you got."

"Exactly, babe," he said, no tone of confidence absent. "You have the best quilava in the Indigo Leagues and a man who knows where he's goin'. Not even Koga could follow me through this route. We couldn't get lost even if we tried."

Amy glanced out to the road in front of them, her flashlight losing its usefulness against the seemingly eternal darkness. "You... do know this road goes straight for miles, right?"

Adrian's smile faded and he gave his wife a quick glance before returning his attention back to the trees. "That was a joke," he said, disappointed that she had shot it down.

Amy smiled and took her hand in his, locking their fingers. "Let's worry about jokes when we set up camp, ok?" she said with a radiant smile.

"Honestly, tonight's been pretty calm and safe, I think we could get away with a camp further from the road tonight." Adrian suggested, shining his flashlight into the seemingly vacant forest to prove his point.

He was right. That night had been uneventful, especially for the wilderness of the frontier. Even Quen hadn't sniffed out any threats. The quilava walked in front of the group, sniffing the ground periodically and watching anything in the treeline that caught her attention. Mostly it was just a hoot-hoot or rattata peeking out curiously at the movement. These small pokemon wouldn't attack two grown humans and a quilava, especially one that looked as strong as her.

That silence ended abruptly in what would later be revealed as serendipity.

Adrian stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the sounds of screeching from deep in the forest northeast of their position. He dropped to one knee, turning off his flashlight immediately, the motion followed soon after by Amy, who's eyes scanned the treeline behind them. In the darkness, they saw nothing, only being accompanied by the dim glow of the crescent moon. When Quen emerged silently from the darkness, Adrian only jumped a bit, expecting his pokemon to come to him, but not anticipating when. She took her position between the sounds and her trainer.

Hot steam flowed out of the open pores that ran from between her ears to between her shoulders, and horizontally across her backside. Her charcoal coloured fur laid flat against her, prepared to strike the flint-like growths that lined the outsides of the opening. If she saw any threats she would combust and attack. Without fail it would always make a man stop dead in his tracks after watching the flames of a quilava poised to pounce.

Adrian, feeling the pull of four years of training, slowly crept towards the sounds.

SC

Lungs burning, and shoulder aching, Zach recounted his last moments in an instant, his brain firing a thousand images at once. He felt the impact of the seviper's tail. The acid burning and sizzling the shoulder of his hoodie. Had he seen a flash before the impact? Had that simply been the shock of the pain? He was a man who wanted answers, and his final moments should be in the search for the cause of his death down to the very specific detail. He opened his eyes, internally laughing at the pokemon's apparent incompetence.

The seviper's tail had become stuck in the bark of the tree over Zach's right shoulder. He saw, from his peripheral vision, the splinters of wood heaved and cracked as the serpent fought to free its tail, hissing and screeching as a part of its forehead seemed the smoke and smolder.

__'Not the incompetence of the predator,' __Zach thought, '__but the competence of the prey.'__

Riley had never been one to do the expected by Zach's deductions of the mouses persona in the past few weeks. Any baby pokemon would simply run from danger and leave their trainer to their fate, completely useless for the trainer's defense until they evolved. Mental functions and instinct got in the way of the desire to help their owners. A large reason baby pokemon are rarely encountered in the wild was because whatever killed their trainer usually got to them moments later.

He felt the mouse protruding from Zach's jacket, the resulting surge of electricity sprinting through his trainer's shoulders. Riley's glance met the seviper's, taking in deep breaths at the expense of energy from his electrical attack. An attack that could have potentially killed himself. Riley jumped from Zach's jacket and onto the assistant's stiff shoulder, giving the highest pitched hiss Zach had heard.

Elm had infant pokemon in his lab, a large part of his research was breeding, as anyone who knew the man would tell anyone who asked. Zach had heard them playing, an infant sentret and hoot-hoot rolling around on the floor, unaware that they were subconsciously practicing hunting each other. An act they would partake in only if they were released into the wild before reaching maturity. The hissing from the sentret was always playful, and had that underlying layer of good nature and humour to it.

Riley made no illusions of that notion, although the hissing was quiet, high pitched, and laboured to rise above the pokemon's breath, it was of pure malice, primal anger and the need to ensure the survival of his family.

Another lash of weak lightening escaped from Riley's cheeks, the effects of which would be barely felt by Zach himself, but to the snake it was a trigger to kill the one that caused it pain. It heaved its tail back hard, freeing the serrated edges from the bark of the tree, and barely missing Zach, as it retracted behind the snake with an alarming speed. A speed, Zach noted, that was not the same speed it possessed previously.

The pichu's eyes narrowed.

'__Riley, what are you thinking?'__ Zach thought incredulously. His eyes narrowed to get a better look at the pichu, but found the yellow figure no longer there. He had disappeared into the darkness of the trees with awkward stumbling. The trainer's eyes widened as far as his limited movement would allow him to, and his mind screamed again. Not for his own survival, but his pokemon's.

The seviper lunged into the forest, rumbling the ground beneath it as its abdominal muscles propelled him through the bush. Its tail vanishing into the forest with a sluggish twist on its previous expulsion of speed.

Those were the longest seconds of Zach's life. His youngest pokemon had just run from a threat. A threat that Zach knew could catch him without a second of tribulation. His heart could have almost broken free of his chest had his rib cage not provided a significant hindrance to the feat. He was certain that, had his muscles not been acquiesced to their current position, he would be shaking.

No, he would be running.

Had he been able to move he would have escaped. Without one of his pokemon risking their lives.

If he could move, he'd have been able to prevent Elm's kidnapping.

As he leaned against the tree, unable to move his head, Zach realized that all he could do was listen. He heard the breaking of branches as the seviper took pursuit of Riley, but it was closer than Zach would have expected. The snake was not as fast as it once was, be it fatigue or rage hindering its sense of direction in the pitch black forest. He heard its hissing as it made lunges for Riley, but the fact that there was more than one hiss meant multiple lunges and seemed to bode well for the tiny mouse. Still, Zach's imagination ran wild in his terrified state, and he would not allow any positive thoughts to overcome his border-line delirium.

That's when he heard a screech. The screech stopped Zach's breath in his throat, and his eyes widened once again. He recognized what he heard, and it was not far enough to warrant comfort. The sound was high pitched and chilled Zach to his very core, his paralyzed muscles not allowing even a reflexive shiver. There was the familiar metallic tang to it, as if the sound was coming from within a hollow chamber.

Then he heard a loud hissing, and the screech grew more intense and closer. From the trees, Riley emerged, untouched, but exhausted. Zach's still racing heart slowed at seeing his pokemon unharmed, and began to wonder how he could train him to be even more efficient. He felt his breathing slow as, for the first time in the past few minutes, he relaxed.

But his calm was destroyed in an instant. Immediately to his left a pair of conflicting forces erupted into the camp. All he heard was cawing, hissing, screeching, and the ruffling of the ground beneath those forces of nature. The seviper seemed to be already winning, wrapped around the carapace of a metallic figure that reflected the fire like a dirty mirror. The two rolled around on the floor, kicking up dirt and throwing the contents of the forest floor every direction as their threatening calls emanated continuously from the opposing pokemon.

Zach heard the sound of the seviper's constriction tense around the skarmory, its knife-like feathers digging into the hide of the serpent, and its talons digging deep into whatever part of its opponent they could get a grip on.

An ear piercing screech erupted from the confines of the seviper's new prey, and it recoiled, thrashing about violently as its hold on the bird gave away. As it uncoiled it stretched out, returning to its full length. Its tail flailed unchecked around the campsite, flying over Leo and landing on the ground inches from his head.

Rising up, the bird took stock of its surroundings, only glancing at Zach and the leafeon for a second before returning its attention to the opponent, which was now almost motionless on the ground. The skarmory's wings shoot out of it's sides, leaping on top of the seviper's head with another screech that echoed off the mountains. This was the apex predator of the area, and Zach watched as it lived up to its reputation.

The skarmory dug its razor sharp talons into the seviper's head, keeping its wings out for balance as it continuously raked at the snakes eyes. The talons dug effortlessly into the seviper's flesh, leaving a continuous series of red gashes over the serpent's face. Zach closed his eyes when he saw the talons of the bird make contact with one of the serpents eyeballs, knowing instantly that the eye was lost.

The serpent seemed to give way to this onslaught of attacks. It seemed to lay motionless on the ground, although its heavy breathing and twitching told the signs of life. It was paralyzed, but not from the skarmory. Throughout the past minute or so Zach saw the signs of it, the sluggish movement of its tail, both when it pulled out from the tree and when it disappeared into the forest.

All the pieces fell in place in an instant. At that moment Zach had come to his understanding of how Riley saved his life. The pichu had paralyzed it, but he was so feeble that the effects needed time to sink into a larger pokemon like the seviper. Although the fact that Riley had even known thunder wave, and had the ability to paralyze such a powerful pokemon, made Zach question the exact age of the pichu.

With his eyes still closed, his hearing picked up a new development in the situation. He heard the air in the camp expand and collapse. A teleportation. The man who took Elm had returned. Immediately he heard the man shriek in terror and surprise, and Zach could not have been happier at the idea of the man receiving the wrath of the skarmory.

He opened his eyes to see the contrary take place. As the skarmory stopped its attack to see the new arrivals, it was thrown off with a shimmer of air around it. The kadabra stood, beside the man, with eyes that were the colour of sapphire, glowing in the darkness of the camp.

With a thud, the skarmory landed on the ground, its razor sharp tail catching Zach's face, leaving behind a crimson scratch across his cheek. In that instant Zach's heart jumped into his throat, feeling as if the pokemon were going to crush him.

The bird stirred instantly and rose to its feet, the raptor lowering its head and spreading its wings out in a challenge. The low gargling caw from the bird was the equivalent of a growl, signaling it was not finished yet.

Immediately the man produced a pokeball and returned the seviper in a flash of red light as the pokemon dissolved into raw energy. With a scowl he made eye contact with Zach the instant before teleporting off again.

Zach's mind raced with anger at the idea of him getting away again, and both times under the same circumstances. Both times Zach couldn't see his face, and it made Zach's eyes fill with rage, and his breathing intensified, but he felt the sensation of tightness. At least he could feel, but the new information from his body turned rage into fear. Zach's mind went back the idea of asphyxiation, and he knew, at that moment, it was to be a reality. He could only hope Leo was not undergoing to same sensations.

In that moment the camp became eerily quiet. The only sound being that of the ground being kicked up by the strides of the skarmory as it elegantly stalked around the campfire, its metal carapace catching the flame and reflecting it off into the forest. Within the light, many dents could be seen in the bird's hide, and it walked with a limp. The coil of the seviper had not been as ineffective as Zach had previously thought.

Riley's head poked out of Zach's jacket again, scanning the scene. It appeared as though he had taken the time to regain some of the spent energy, but he was far from a full recovery. His pupils dilated when he saw the wild pokemon move on the other side of the dancing flame.

In an instant, the skarmory's attention snapped to Zach and Riley, its eyes becoming slits.

__'Are you fucking kidding me?'__ Zach thought in defeat. Knowing full well when a predator was about to move in.

Without even a moment of hesitation, the skarmory moved towards them, its maw opening to reveal teeth uncharacteristic of most birds. It's breathing seemed to ring within itself as it made a slow approach, being cautious of it's surroundings.

Riley hissed again, the hair on his head sticking up and his large ears falling back, and jumped out of his trainer's jacket.

There were only two things Zach could make out of the next few seconds, a bright flash and a crack of thunder.

The skarmory stumbled backwards, twitching as the metal carapace welcomed the electric shock throughout the clad bird's body. The bird staggered back, and fell to its side with a pained caw. For a few tense seconds, Zach thought the bird was , Zach felt no surprise when the bird stirred. Slowly, the bird regained its balance and pushed itself to its feet. Its long head craned around the campfire, blinking slowly. Then, seeing an immobile lump on the ground, it began a slow and deliberate approach. It sluggishly moved for the easy prey, and Zach's mind began to scream once again as the bird limped towards Riley,

The raptors neck canned down, and pinned Riley between its jaws. A slow breath escaped the skarmory before it slowly picked up the injured rodent. It gave a brief glance towards Zach before it turned to the trees where it had erupted from.

Zach's heart fell at the sight as the skarmory limped towards the treeline with Riley in his maw.

In mid stride, the skarmory stopped and twirled its head in the direction of a breaking branch. Quen emerged from the trees, her head and backside shooting out fire that illuminated the face of her trainer, who decided to remain in the trees.

A second later the weasel's mouth opened and two small, well aimed, fireballs erupted out, making contact with the skarmory's neck and wing. The bird screeched in pain, dropping Riley onto the forest floor.

The fiery pokemon charged forward as well, boasting an impressive speed. She tackled the bird's leg, knocking the heavy bird off balance. With wings fluttering to maintain its stature, the bird kicked at the quilava, only doing so much as scratching the surface of her hard fur.

Quen stood protectively over Riley. The flames of the quilava intensified for a second, forcing the bird to take a step back in retreat. Then it charged again, the screeching echoing off the trees.

The quilava delivered a killing blow at this instant. Her mouth opened again, hot foam dripping from her jaws. Before a long, steady stream of fire erupted from her mouth, subjecting the bird to a relentless onslaught of flame that cast shadows across the campground and the surrounding forest.

The fire made contact with the head of the bird, and it screamed. In an instant of panic and pain, it dropped on the ground The metal carapace of its head steamed and dripped as the smell of burned flesh filled the area.

Quen watched its fallen opponent for a moment, her chest and stomach heaving. The flames on the pokemon's back cut out when it decided the threat at been taken out. She began to sniff around the campground, poking at Riley with interest before continuing her inspection to the rest of the camp.

Through the bushes, Adrian emerged. He looked around the camp and took in his new situation. The ranger stopped in his tracks when he saw a man laying against a tree. "Legends..." he whispered to himself, taking the final step into the clearing from the bushes. "Please be alive..."

He knelt next to the man, bringing his head closer to his chest. He sighed in relief when he heard a heartbeat and pulled his head back. When he brought his head level with the man's, he made eye contact. The look in the paralyzed man's eyes was that of pure terror, and it made Adrian leap back in startled surprise with an 'oh shi-'

"Amy?" Adrian called over his shoulder. "He's alive, but paralyzed." He looked back to the man. "You're lucky we saw the lightening."

With her arms crossed over her chest, Amy timidly appeared from the bushes, revealing herself from her hiding place. She scanned the scene just as Adrian did, but her attention stopped on another target. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she saw a small yellow figure laying motionless on the ground.

Without caution, she broke into a jog towards the little mouse, going onto her hands and knees to carefully roll the pokemon over. His head slumped to the side, and her heart dropped. "He's not breathing," she said somberly, turning her head to look at the man who laid against the tree. "I'm sorry..."

Adrian looked over his shoulder behind him, watching his wife look down at the pichu. He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long breath. Hesitantly, he turned back towards the man, who's eyes had begun to fill with tears.

"Sorry, friend," Adrian offered regretfully. He looked back to the scene, expecting the beige pokemon to be dead as well. "I really am."

Zach could only close his eyes as he helplessly laid against the tree. His throat tensed as a tear began to roll down his cheek. It frustrated him that this was the second time in his life that rangers had shown up too late.

Adrian stood and sighed. He heard his wife let out another surprised gasp. "His heart's beating!" she exclaimed. "Get oran berries out of my bag."

At once Adrian was on the move. "You can bring him back?" he asked hopefully.

Not looking up, Amy answered as she put her index finger on the pichu's chest, beginning exceedingly light compressions. "Mash the berries into a paste. He'll need the boost." Her response was as if she hadn't actually heard the question..

Looking between Amy and the pichu, Adrian took the bag and set it down, rummaging through its contents until he found a small blue box with the white image of a flower embedded on the top. He cracked open the top of the box, revealing a colourful assortment of berries. Oran berries were the easiest to remember, as they were the most widely used.

He produced two small blue berries and closed the case, slipping it back into his wife's bag. He got to work once he produced a mortar and a pestle. With unbroken concentration, he mashed the berries in a matter of seconds and put the bowl next to Amy.

After another few seconds, which felt far longer to Amy, the pichu finally let out a quiet squeak. His head turned to the side and the mouse coughed once, taking in a long deep breath before squeaking again. Amy's smile could have brightened the camp ground if the fire had not already claimed that job.

Looking once at the pichu, Adrian stood and trotted back towards the man against the tree. He knelt once again. Hearing a faint wheezing from the victims nose. Adrian recognized the sound, and shoot his glance backwards. "He's havin' trouble breathing."

With no time to rest on her laurels, Amy nodded. "The paralysis must be restricting his diaphragm," she said quietly as she slowly brought the bowl of oran paste to the pichu's mouth. "I have some paralyze heal on my bag, but only enough for one. How is his other pokemon looking?"

Adrian shot a quick glance over to the unidentified species which laid near the edge of the campground, the figure being only dimly lit by the fire. He settled his focus on its chest, being satisfied when he saw the faintest rise and fall of the pokemon's side. "Aye. He's breathin', doesn't look like he's havin' trouble," he answered.

"Ok," Amy responded as she moved the bowl away from the pichu's mouth, eliciting a squeak of protest from the baby. She looked down at it and smiled. "Let the first bit sit for a bit, sweetie," she whispered to him. She looked up, her smile fading and severity returning to her features. "Give the trainer a paralyze heal, it's a clear bag with yellow lotion in it."

Adrian fished out the described bag, and stuck his tongue out in disgust at the paralyzed man. "Sorry, brother," he said. "This stuff stinks, but it'll help you breath." The man only grunted, his eyes shooting condescension into Adrian, making him laugh a little bit, "Sorry. Bad time for jokes." He took the bag and produced a knife from the side of his body armour, creating a small incision near the top of the bag.

"Adrian," Amy spoke up, observing her husband. "You have to remove his shirt first, It's not going to do anything if it's on his clothes.

Adrian blinked at the bag for a second, then looked at the man. "Sorry. Guess I need to take your clothes off." The ranger set down the bag being careful as to not let the fluid leak out the incision. He unzipped the mans hoodie, thankful that his patient wasn't wearing body armour. He raised the man's arm to get the sleeve off, hearing a grunt of discomfort from the man.

"Careful," Amy said, standing up and slowly walking over to them as she cradled the pichu in her arms. "If you move his muscles too fast while he's paralyzed you might injure him."

Adrian, his face straitening as his mouth tightened, nodded in understanding. He moved slower now, carefully moving the arm through the first sleeve, then the other, throwing the black jacket to his side. When the man looked at his jacket, Adrian made a remark. "Don't worry, man. They can be cleaned."

The smile on his face faded when the man rolled his eyes and flicked his glance towards his pokemon.

"He's talking about his pokeballs," Amy relayed. "They're probably in his jacket." She looked at the man. "Do you want us to return your pokemon over there? Blink once for yes," she said, switching to her nurses tone, which was soft and sweet. The man blinked once. "Ok. I'll return him. Remove his shirt and apply the lotion before he suffocates," she said to Adrian as she moved towards the jacket.

Adrian nodded in confirmation, leaning the man forward slowly and raising his shirt to his chest, once again being careful not hurt him. He placed the shirt behind the man's back, acting as a cushion between his bare back and the bark of the tree. He looked at the bandages wrapped around his shoulder. "Nice patch work," he said. He leaned in closer. "Can you teach my wife how to do that? I don't think she quite gets it," he said in a whisper.

Pretending not to hear the statement, Amy smiled at her husbands success and retrieved the pokeball, which hosted the carving of a name on the red cap. "Leo?" she said, looking over to the fox. "Ok, Leo. Return." She said as she pointed the ball towards the pokemon. Nothing happened, and she frowned.

Adrian began applying the lotion to the mans diaphragm. "You're outta range, move a little closer. Basic pokeballs got a range of – Quen!" he scolded, seeing his quilava begin to tug at a portion of the skarmory's exposed leg. She immediately discontinued her efforts, retreating from the corpse as she resumed her patrol, the weasel's ears laid back with guilt.

Glancing sidelong to Adrian, Amy let out a small laugh and stood up. As Adrian went to work applying the medicine, Amy moved closer to Leo. Her eyes looking up and down the immobile body of the pokemon.

"Wow," she breathed, admiring the elegance of the grass-type as she grew closer. "You're beautiful."

Quen approached the nurse, her head low and her muscles tense, prepared to strike the leafeon if it made any move towards Amy. Her eyes were dilated, and the back of her head had begun to ungulate the air above it as the heat rose. Amy glanced over and patted the quilava on her back, being careful to stay away from the vents. She rose the ball again and Leo disappeared in a flash of red, surrendering his physical form to plasma as his mass was absorbed into the lens of the pokeball. Amy sighed, looking down to Quen, who looked back up to the pichu, still in her arms, with curiosity.

She turned back to her husband. "How's he doing?" she asked him.

Adrian lowered his hand from the man's chest. "Looks like he can breath again," he said with a breath of relief.

Amy smiled and approached the man, putting her free hand on her knee to speak to him. "Just relax and you'll be able to move and talk in a minute," she said affably. "Here." She knelt onto one knee, gingerly placing the pichu in the man's lap. Smiling when the small mouse sniffed at his bare chest and recoiled.

Adrian sat by the fire, cupping his hands over his mouth and closing his eyes. He recoiled when he noticed the paralyze heal was all over his hands.. "Oh, by Ho-oh's ass," he swore. "How do they get away with makin' it smell this bad?"

"Because it works," Amy retorted, moving over to her husband and kneeling in front of him. She produced a cloth from her bag and began to wipe off the fluid from his hands. There was a moment of silence between the two before Amy spoke again. "What do you think paralyzed him?"

Adrian's mouth twisted as he ran over scenarios in his mind. Taking the time to categorize any pokemon who knew had the capability. He shook his head. "I honestly can't tell. It couldn't have been his pichu..." he trailed off.

"Could it have been a dragon?" Amy asked hesitantly. "I heard Augustus hasn't been to trusting of the Dragon Folk lately. Maybe this is retaliation?"

Adrian snorted a quick laugh. "If it was a dragon we would have noticed. Honestly, I don't have the sense to tell."

Amy simply nodded, removing the last bit of the fluid from Adrian's hands. The ranger dried the rest off on his jeans, eliciting a scoff from Amy.

Adrian simply looked at her with appreciation. He felt, at that moment, like the luckiest man in the Indigo Leagues. "You know, I'm proud of you," he said. "This would have gone a lot differently without you here." He looked over to the skarmory.

Amy glanced up at him. "You would have been fine," she reassured, looking over towards Adrian's quilava, who now sat on her haunches overlooking the couple.

Adrian shook his head once, his casual smile returning. "The pichu might be dead, and I might have injured the guy. You helped far more than you'd like to admit."

"He's right," they heard a weak voice say in a Sinnoean accent. They turned around to see the man lean forward a bit, slowly and carefully bringing himself to a stand. "You both saved my life, and the life of my pokemon. Thank you." His face was weak, and his voice was hoarse. He closed his eyes and took a deep quivering breath.

Amy stood. "Please don't exert yourself."

The man shook his head with a weak grimace. "I've had a rough day, so I want to take it easy, trust me," he said, slowly rolling his shoulders and inspecting his bandages, "but I've already lost too much time."

He turned and bent over with a grunt of effort, retrieving his jacket from the cold forest floor. The man produced a pokeball from his bag, returning the mouse to his ball. He looked over towards the space that Elm's bedroll had occupied ten minutes ago. His hazel eyes flared with urgency and he slowly made his way across the camp site to grab his bag.

It was gone. In its place was a satchel covered in dirt as the result of the battle that had torn up the ground of the campsite. It was filled with papers and pencils, food rations and survival tools. He let out a sigh, dropping to his knees to fully explore its contents.

Adrian and Amy watched in silence, their eyes switching between each other and the man. Adrian spoke up. "What's your name?" he asked flat out.

"Zach," he responded, not looking up from the satchel.

"Zach," Adrian repeated. He stood, dusting the back of his pants. "Well, Zach. I'm Adrian, this is my wife Amy."

Zach simply nodded. "Thank you again for your help." He looked up, frowning when he noticed the stars had been covered with clouds, leaving him no way to properly navigate aside from the compass. "I don't even know where to begin," he said to himself, suddenly realizing he spent the past few minutes fearing for his life instead of forming a plan of action.

"What's priority?" Amy asked.

Zach looked down at the ground, scanning the footprints left by the skarmory. He gripped the strap of the satchel. "I need to get to a pokemon center, Riley might have sustained nerve damage."

"He seemed fine," Adrian said, despite his wife's nod of understanding.

"He sat in my lap and stayed there, that's not like him."

"So you're going to go alone? With a paralyzed fox and a pichu?"

Zach nodded again and put the bag over his uninjured shoulder, grunting in pain at the exertion. "I'm in a rush, and I need to get out of this camp."

"You don't have any capable pokemon," Adrian repeated.

"I have bigger problems than simply my own safety, and that's been in question ever since I left town." Zach responded, beginning to move for the trees.

"Oy," The ranger moved in front of Zach, blocking his path. Zach attempted to sidestep, but the man shifted his position accordingly, his arms folded over his chest. Zach sighed and looked to the man, who stood a few inches taller. "You got lucky once. You'll die if ya' go alone." Adrian advised.

"Look," Zach said, holding his hands up. "It's taking everything in my power to keep my shit together, and I still need to get to a city, heal my pokemon, and organize a man hunt."

Adrian cocked an eyebrow, turning his head slightly to catch Amy in his peripheral vision. "A man hunt for who?"

"Adrian," Amy said, standing up. "Don't push him. Look at him, he's terrified." she suggested.

Adrian glanced over to his wife, taking a moment to think over the idea. "Maybe," he said, his mouth tightening. "Maybe he can come to New Bark with us. The professor can fix his pokemon up no problem, and he can rally some militia ta' look around. Two spearow, one stone."

Zach's eyes went wide and his heart jumped into his throat. He took a deep breath in an attempt to relax, but the gravity of his position hit him like a wave.

"Are you alright, Zach?" Amy asked, noticing the shift in the man's demeanor.

Zach looked over to the woman, then back to the man. "If you guys want see the professor, you're better off coming with me."

Adrian looked back to Zach. "What do you mean?" he asked, consternation building in his voice. "You don't even know where to go."

Zach nervously looked down, he felt his mouth dry and his palms sweat. He wasn't good with delivering news that would hit like a bomb. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "He's the person who's missing."

Adrian blinked in surprise, at first only standing there as a blank pallet. Then his expression began to take shape. His eyes squinted briefly and his mouth twitched, wanting to say something that his mind couldn't fully form in that moment. The lines on his brow darkened into a furrow, his mouth hung open.

Amy rushed forward, her expression matching her husband's. "What?" she asked, searching for confirmation on the reality of Zach's words.

"It happened less than three minutes ago. I couldn't see anything because I couldn't open my eyes at the time, but I heard teleportation."

"_Three minutes_?" Adrian snapped, lurching toward Zach. With restraint, he relaxed his fists. "We were that close? And where the hell were you?" His yes were ablaze with anger and blame.

For the first time since the man had teleported out of his sight, Zach felt a rush of anger rise from his gut, heating his face. His fists clenched at his sides, and his teeth were grinding. "I was beside him. The entire time." He look a long breath. "You saw my position. What was I supposed to do? I failed him, I know that already, and I don't need vitriol."

"Okay," Amy spoke up, stepping between the two men. "Zach, describe what you remember, and we can go from there."

Taking another deep breath, Zach closed his eyes and crossed his arms, shaking his head slowly. He began to tell them of the events that led up to his kidnapping. The ursaring attack, the seemingly endless onslaught of threats over the past few minutes, and the man with the kadabra.

"So..." Adrian began, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The professor was kidnapped. You don't know by who, and they teleported. So they could be anywhere within a mile radius."

"A mile and a half," Zach corrected. "Maybe further depending on how long the pokemon needs to rest between jumps."

"You said it jumped in and out the last time," Adrian pressed.

"They could have gotten away with a short jump," Zach retorted.

Adrian looked at the skarmory, the fire and the bed roll that Elm had slept on that night. "Ok. Get your shit and start walkin', Sinnoean," Adrian demanded, looking over to the pokemon that Elm had given him. "We're goin' to Cherrygrove."

* * *

**I hope the cut off wasn't distracting. I wanted to show Adrian and Amy before the attack so it didn't feel like they just jumped in out of nowhere. **


	5. Progress

**Thank you to _Metal Dargon _for his questions that made me delve far deeper, into the timeline for this story, than I would have done on my own. Please, read his story _Sacrifice and Subjugation._ It's a great one. **

* * *

"Zach," Rowan called from his office.

The young man twirled in his seat, meeting the gaze of his professor through the door he sat in front of.

"I need to speak with you a moment."

Raising himself from the seat, he told Leo to remain under his desk. The vulpine cat remained loyal, his gaze casting about the busy lab as he constantly scanned the situation. There was never a quiet moment in the laboratory of professor Rowan; his aim was to shatter any of his assistance's fantasies of a job with him being easy and cushy.

"Close the door, please." Rowan ordered once Zach entered the room, his eyes never leaving the documents which were scattered over his desk. When he heard the click of the mahogany door close, he rose his gaze to his employee. He sat quietly for a moment, knowing Zach would allow him the first word. "An opportunity has arisen, Zach, and I feel you are qualified to handle it."

Zach stood quietly by the door, blinking in surprise before responding. "An opportunity, sir?"

His eyes twitched as a figure in his peripheral caught his attention. Diane Pine, his mother, sat in one of the chairs that sat against the window that peered into a bland hallway. Her aged face was held in a smile.

"What kind of opportunity?" Zach aked again as his eyes reflexively twitched towards his mother.

Rowan looked to Diane, and raised his hand to her. "Diane. Would you like to tell him?"

In an instant she stood, her long black ponytail falling between her shoulders as she stood. She smoothed out her white lab coat before turning to her son. "Professor Elm has told me he wants you to work for him," she said. She was never a woman to beat around the bush.

Zach stood quietly or a moment, his mother, the head researcher of Rowan's lab, had told him to go to the other end of the world to work for someone in the middle of the wilderness. In a town on the border between Johto and Kanto, a region known as 'the frontier of civilization.' He looked into his mother's eyes for a long while, seeing that familiar glint of concern and pride for her son.

"So, I'm to go to Johto if I accept?" he asked in his best tone of professionalism.

"Yes," Rowan said flatly, leaning forward in his chair and holding his hands in front of his face. He rubbed his thumbs together as he conceptualized what he was going to say next. Finally after a few moments of silence, in which Zach shifted his gaze between Rowan and his mother continuously in discomfort, Rowan spoke.

"Professor Elm has told me you caught his eye with your aptitude. He was highly impressed with your skill when we went out to route two oh five. He needs a man like you working in his lab." Rowan rested his hands down on the desk, his shoulders relaxing. "His lab is in a dangerous area. Many people on the frontier don't have the same technology as us. They rely on the knowledge of researchers and trainers to protect the settlements from being over run by the local wildlife." He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "I'm not sure if they even have telephones where you'll be working. Even then," the professor said quietly. "his work is thankless."

Zach remained motionless for a moment, his mouth held shut by force as he did not want to betray his respectable stature in front of the professor. "If I accept, I assume I can bring Leo over the border?"

"Yes," Rowan said with a sigh. "A worker is nothing without his tools. He's been nothing but helpful since you found him."

"He found me, sir."

Rowan looked at Diane for a moment, noting her features falling into a frown. Her gaze fell onto the floor, evidently remembering the day two rangers had shown up at her front door with her son and no husband in sight.

"Do you accept?"

"I would need some time to think on it." The assistant replied.

"Oh come on, Zachary," he heard a feminine voice behind him say. He jumped and spun around to find Dawn leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest and a coy grin crossing her face. "I couldn't think of a better position for you." She pushed herself off the wall, her ponytail falling off her shoulder with the movement. "There are fifty thousand people in Eterna City, every single one of them wants to be safe. You and I included." She pointed to the young man. "Professor Elm's research is aimed at improving security through breeding. He is on to something big, I've been keeping up with the notes he's been keeping at this lab. Trust me, you want to be a part of it."

Zach's face went stiff as he listened to his friend's reasoning. She had always been more intelligent than him, almost more so than her grandfather, and she used that. Her mind was always her greatest tool, and she kept it sharp. Zach always understood that, and did his best to think for himself while she was attempting to convince him of anything.

"What sort of 'big' thing' then, Dawn?" he asked, keeping his incredulity in check. "Seriously, pokemon are widespread in use for security reasons already."

"Not as much as they should be." Dawn Rowan smiled as she took a seat next to her grandfather, glancing down momentarily sat his paper work before returning her blue eyed gaze to Zach's. She leaned her head back against the headrest of the chair. "Think of it this way. How will the people survive if they have to rely on martial weapons for much longer? Every time someone fires a flintlock it has the risk of alerting another pokemon to them. A pneumatic crossbow is only so good against a flying-type or rock-type where an ice-type could be far more effective. Pokemon are needed to fight pokemon, Zach."

"It's... the other side of the world," Zach replied slowly.

"That's how far someone night have to go to make a difference. Here's some perspective, the first people settled there two hundred years ago, and they didn't even know if the area was outside of The Badlands. At least you know there will be a civilization waiting for you."

"It just seems foolish," Zach replied as he crossed his arms over his chest

She shook her head. "Call it foolish if you want, but it would be stupid to refuse, and it's only Johto. Hardly the other side of the world. It's not Orre, Zach. Johto has a League to protect them."

"Actually," Rowan interjected. "I do need to warn you that the political structure of Johto is tense. The cities act independent of each other, but the country has been at peace for fifty years. Also, if something does start, you'll be far from any major conflicts in the Southern region of the country."

"Grandpa," Dawn said quietly. "There haven't been any separatist uprisings in Johto since 1864, and even then the League stopped it before it escalated," she said as she looked back to Zach. "Even so, all of the city's leaders have since sworn allegiance to The Plateau. It's not a hegemony anymore."

Rowan cleared his throat. "Y-yes. She is correct. Johto might be independent now, but the conflicts that rose from it have long since passed. There should be no need to worry."

"Zachary," his mother spoke up. "I think you know that this is what your father would have wanted." She squeezed his shoulder. "You can be at the forefront of Elm's field of research, paving the way for a better way of life for mankind. His findings won't just help the people of The Indigo Leagues, but even up here. He wants to change the world, and he's selected you to be right there with him. Remember what you told me? That no one should lose a loved one?'

Zach's mouth opened slightly, and he placed his hand on his mothers. "I remember what I said, mom. But what about you?"

The wrinkles flanking her mouth darkened with a warm smile. "Don't worry about me. Eterna is safe, and I have friends here."

Dawn chuckled. "Zach if your worried about your mom's safety, don't worry." She looked at Diane with a maintained smile, nodding. "I'll make sure nothing happens."The prodigy looked back to Zach. "Think about it," she said, crossing her legs and grabbing one of the water bottles off Rowan's desk. "They might even be able to push into The Badlands with the research. Imagine controlling a pokemon in the Apotheosis Category. Or a triple-type pokemon."

He wanted to interject, but he knew if he rebutted too much it would just turn into a one sided argument. On one side, the reigning professor in the country, his ingenious granddaughter, and Zach's own mother. Even as stubborn as he was, he decided the other team was far too convincing. Instead he sighed, looking around the brightly lit room. "So..." he started, admitting defeat and acquiescing his future to peer pressure. "Where is Elm?"

Rowan leaned forward, shooting a smile to his granddaughter. "He's in Kanto for now, but he'll be in New Bark by the time your ship lands in Cherrygrove City. We knew you would say yes eventually."

"You've... already booked my voyage?" Zach asked in unadulterated disbelief.

With his reaction, the brightest mind in the largest city in Sinnoh, through all the aptitude and passion of the next reigning professor of Sinnoh, choked on her water as she failed to maintain her composure through her laughter.

SC

__It's not as if pokemon are actively trying to wipe out humans, but the necessary precautions must be in place in the event of a powerful pokemon wandering into a settlement.__

It was, for some reason, that moment Zach's mind had chosen to reflect on Dawn's words. He looked across the fire to the body of the skarmory, understanding that this was predator, not a force out to thrust the human race to extinction. They were not a tsunami bent on destroying cities, but rather a tide to be wary of.

He looked back to Adrian, whose features had twisted into an anxiously livid expression. A far cry from the personality he had shown while helping the immobile field assistant.

"Do you guys hear that?" Amy had said in the cold darkness of the forest. She leaned forward, tilting her ear to the direction of the sound, and her mouth went agape. Her body armour rubbed together as and she hastily disappeared into the forest. In toe was her protective husband and his equally as protective quilava.

Taking one more opportunity to look over the camp, Zach shouldered Elm's satchel and followed them in, leaving the warm glow of the fire behind. He would have liked to say the fire added a layer of safety in the wilderness, but the night's events had told him otherwise.

It would not be the last time he would have to return to this site, since the fire would need to be extinguished. Just another chore that would delay his search for the professor.

The forest consumed him in its unwanted blanket of tension, the sense that anything could happen at any time kept the weathered field assistant on his toes, and he shivered in the cold of the night. Although the climate of Sinnoh was far colder than Johto, the paralysis had left an alarming slow down of his heart, thus bringing less blood flow through his body. The only thing that could warm him was to keep moving. An action deemed foolish by himself once he realized he had no idea of direction on the starless night.

He stopped and looked around him, only spotting the glow of the fire in contrast to the stark emptiness of the trees. At least he had a reference point he could return to. He had begun to grow uneasy at the thought of becoming lost in the unfamiliar area.

He took a moment to close his eyes and suck in a deep, quivering breath. His thoughts felt like a clump in his mind. The usual clarity of his mind were now subjected to a fog delivered to him by a torrent of stress and urgency. In those few seconds he felt as if he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, but he couldn't do that. Not here. Not while he had any say in the matter. It was still his mind, and he was in control.

He was pulled out of his reverie when he heard Adrian swear with the tone of clamorous regret.

Moving immediately into the direction of the profanity, Zach began to reflect on his first impressions of the man as a means of distraction. He had seemed cheery when helping him, but his demeanor had changed since.

But Zach was smarter than to blame him. Adrian seemed to be connected to Elm.

He had no more time to reflect when he came upon the scene. Amy was crouched down and Adrian paced back and forth with his his hands on his head, his body armour rustling against his gray jacket as he moved.

He looked over to see Zach emerge and let out a long breath before closing his eyes. Without any exposition or lead up, Adrian spoke as he put his hand on his forehead. "That skarmory was a mother." He turned back to look over his wife's shoulder.

Zach moved closer, but was stopped by Amy holding her hand out at him. Six feet from her was a nest at the base of a tree, a host of twigs, leaves, and the vines of a bramble plant twisted together with a grace given by either pure instinct, years of perfection, or both interwoven with the grace and care of a mother thinking of the comfort of her child.

Inside the nest was a timid skarmory chick, whose feathers resembled knifes more than the sharp plates that the hide developed into once age fused them together. It stood at the far end of the nest, the protruding thorns bending on the thick hide of the baby's leg. It only stood two feet high, a far departure from the six foot adult Zach had come to fear. Had Elm done more research into the species Zach might have been able to determine the age.

"Hey, little one. You're safe," Amy said quietly and softly, but heeded no results in calming the scared pokemon. She sighed when the animal, not understanding the words spoken to it, maintained its defensive stance, keeping a cautious eye on the humans.

She turned around to the two men, Adrian almost directly over her and Zach far enough away that the darkness shadowed his features. Looking up to her husband over her shoulder, she gestured for Adrian to stand back. To which he complied, signaling his pokemon to remain hidden in the bush.

"What do you plan to do?" Adrian asked, ridden with guilt.

Amy shook her head. "There is nothing I can do," she responded, her tone quiet and even,

"We can't leave it here," Zach pressed, taking a step towards the nest, his eyes never leaving the cowering skarmory.

"We know that," Adrian said under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose again. From there his hand reached up to run through his hair again. The expression of regret lining his features. "Do you have any pokeballs?" he asked the field assistant, his tone far more pleading than before.

Zach shrugged and pulled the satchel in front of him. He undid the top flap, opening its mouth to reveal the bounty of papers and food rations. He entwined his fingers through the documents, instinctively glancing at the words on the pages. Although he couldn't make anything out in the darkness. He looked up from the bag. "Do either of you have a light?"

Adrian nodded and pulled the flashlight from his bag, keeping a weary eye on the agitated baby as he walked over to the other man. The flashlight turned on with a click, and the light flooded the bag, casting numerous shadows of paper through the inside.

"I don't see any," Zach muttered, his words almost incomprehensible to the Johtan between his accent and the lack of volume. The field assistant rummaged through the bag opening the compartments and pockets hidden away inside the satchel. He frowned, looking over to the bird.

Amy watched as she sat further pack, her features twisted into puzzled amusement. "You want to catch it?" she asked.

"It's the best option," Zach replied, his focus remaining on the contents of the satchel.

"Aside from the professor and your pichu we don't have a lot of time to decide," Adrian said. He had almost seemed to relax from the news of Elm; had the tone of urgency in his voice not betrayed his otherwise calm cadence. Zach could see he was a man who could keep it together. Hopefully.

"We can't leave it here," Zach repeated. "You can't just kill someone's parent and leave them in the forest. Not everyone is lucky enough to have rangers-" He cut himself off with a clearing of his throat.

Adrian looked at Zach with his mouth half open, as if he wanted to speak. He did a take between the bag and the bird, and sighed. He shrugged, pausing to consider his options."I can do without the guilt trip." His mouth tightened as his eye fluttered in his state of deep thought. "Maybe Quen can just put it ou-"

"No!" Zach snapped, his voice echoing off the trees. "That is unacceptable."

Recoiling, Adrian stepped back with his hands held up to placate the sudden burst of anger from the field assistant. "Ok. Ok. What if... hold on," he said as he began to fish around n his own backpack. "Just keep your voice down out here, dumbass."

"Sorry, sorry," Zach hastily replied. "I can't let emotional compromise kill us before we even leave the forest."

Rummaging through his bags contents, Adrian smirked for the first time since Zach had regained movement. "No kidding. Just relax, ok? I know you've been through a lot tonight. I shouldn't have accused you of not doing your job. Yadda Yadda." The ranger ran through his thoughts as if the sentiment was misplaced, and all he could find at that point was neutrality. "Here," he spoke excitedly. "Good old common sense."

"Common sense or his wife, whichever keeps him alive longest," Amy mused with a chuckle.

"Either way, best advice is to always have one handy." He tapped his head as he handed a single pokeball to Zach.

"I can't. I have Riley to look after and I don't have time to train another team member. This falls on you."

Frowning, Adrian looked over to his wife, who had actually made some progress in calming the skarmory. "Ok, let's get this over with then. I don't like my wife bein' near a feral that large. Even if it's a baby," he said as he rose to his feet again, slinging the bag to his back.

Adrian kept his eyes on the pokemon, and gestured for Quen to emerge quietly. He gripped the pokeball in his hand as he took in a deep breath through his nose.

Quen prowled into the scene, her ears pulled back and the long grass, that surrounded her, hid her from the skarmory. Who had now transfixed its full attention on Adrian, taking a cautious step forward and towards the center of the nest. Its long and slender legs moving it with a grace unexpected from a bird capable of flight.

Amy rose up and stepped back, her arms folding over themselves as a deep concern for her husband grew into her features. She stepped back until she deemed herself far enough away, and observed.

Adrian spoke quietly. "Your mother has gone, and the blame lies on me," he said as his gaze settled on the ground, bowing his head as if to wordlessly ask for forgiveness. "I can give you a chance at survival. You would be a domestic, but that ain't all bad." He rose his head to meet the skarmory's eyes. His face was that of remorse, and his eyes almost seemed be be glazed over. "I've made oaths to protect man and animal, and you would be my first example of the weight of that oath."

Zach watched with his arms folded over his chest and his head tilted to the side, his mouth pursed as he watched this unconventional method of capture. He felt the sensation of impatience push itself into his thoughts. The only thing on his mind was the professor, and he addressed Adrian on this matter, pressing the urgency of the situation.

Amy took a side step closer to the field assistant, leaning over to whisper to the man who stood an inch or two shorter than her. "If he doesn't do this now he'll feel guilty all night." She turned her had in his direction now, her brow furrowed. "If we're going to help you we're doing it our way."

"It doesn't even understand him," Zach argued. "I understand that it's personal, but there has to be a better way of catching it..."

Zach trailed off as the entire area was illuminated by the skarmory dissolving into a flash of red light. The energy poured into the pokeball that laid by the nest. The field assistant cocked and eyebrow as he observed the next few seconds.

The ball twitched as the lens, situated on the center of the ball, flickered red and white continuously. The ball rolled over a few times, inching away from the nest and closer to Adrian, the light of the blinking lens re-positioning to erratically flash over a tree. Within a few seconds, the sound of the internal barriers of the ball caused Zach's jaw to drop, and his eye brows to raise.

"You didn't even weaken it," Zach said in disbelief.

Adrian moved over to the pokeball and picked it up, looking into the lens of the orb. He nodded at it and looked up to the other two. "It pushed the button on its own," he said flatly before walking towards the fire.

Zach looked at Amy. "That can happen?"

"Apparently," she mused, her head tilted back slightly and blinking in surprise. She raised her brow with a '__hmm__' before turning towards the fire.

"I thought he'd be ecstatic," Zach admitted.

Amy began to walk to her husband, meeting Zach's gaze over her shoulder. "It's his way of dealing with things." As she moved to the fire, she called out to Adrian. "I relaxed him for you!" she shouted playfully.

The next few minutes involved putting out the fire and gathering what little supplies they could. Zach was the first to leave the campground, heading in the direction in which Adrian and Quen had emerged half an hour prior.

He was also the first to come out of the forest, and wander into the darkness of the westbound road towards Cherrygrove. His feet impacting the shoddy pavement like weak hammers. He walked in front of the group, outpacing the couple. His posture had him walking with his shoulders stiff and pulled back. He walked with a purpose.

This lasted an hour before Zach's pace finally slowed down and he fell back with the other two, admitting defeat to his fatigue. Adrian and Amy both prodded him about getting too far ahead of them when Quen was their only means of protection. Zach didn't protest.

For the duration of their walk, they began to discuss plans. The conversation and ran more fluidly than Zach had anticipated, being able to get his two cents in with the married couple. He had come up with a few suggestions, as did Amy. Adrian took some of their plans and built on them further, showing that we was fully capable of strategic thinking.

By the time they had reached a definitive plan, the sun had begun to peek over the eastern trees, bathing the road in clear light that almost bleached their surroundings to make the colours around them seem faded in the early morning mist.

In the many hours the group had been moving, the conversation drifted from many topics. No one directed the conversation and it moved with the fluidity of a cloud. Zach had learned a lot about his new companions. Mostly facts about their careers and families, and Zach had shared stories and facts about his life back in Sinnoh.

By the time they reached the walls of Cherrygrove, the sun had hit its mid-morning mark, warming the air from the cold night they had endured for a majority of their travel. Adrian expressed his gratitude for not encountering a noctowl at night. A raticate would shy away from three humans and pokemon, but a noctowl was a whole different danger. Zach replied with the fact that they found a skarmory instead, and the two shared an ironic laugh. Maybe it was them getting past the fear, maybe it was the lack of sleep, but the events that transpired that night seemed to be the target of a few bad jokes. No one touched the subject of Riley or Elm.

As they approached the front gates of the town, the walls had towered over them. The conversation died. All three of them remained quiet as the steel door opened with a high pitched whine and squeal, revealing that the mechanism required maintenance. They entered a large room, the only sound being those of the wobbly air conditioning and the ambient buzzing of florescent lights which hung over the guards like dying suns. The room looked large enough for a truck to move through, but only just.

Their footsteps echoed through the silent room as their feet impacted the dusty floor, likely reaching that state from travelers like them.

One of the guards stood from his seat behind a desk that arced away from the white bricked wall. His eyes were piercing and dark, and the lines on his face told of a long and stressful career. With a gruff demeanor, the frontier town guard directed his attention to Adrian. "Pokemon in its ball, please," he said with tired intonation.

Without a question, Quen disappeared in the red glow that enveloped her from the pokeball, disappearing in a flash. Adrian stepped towards the desk and produced his wallet from his jean pocket, fishing out his license and ranger ID.

"Ah," the guard spoke with slight amusement. "Greenhorn. Welcome to the nest." Before Adrian could reply he spoke again. "Name checks out, trainer ID's match, date of birth..." he trailed off. "You're twenty two and married?"

"Yes, sir," Adrian said with a grin. "To that beautiful creature there." He turned and pointed to Amy, who gave a weary smile. Evidently she had the spotlight on her now, and she didn't like that too much.

With a grunt, the guard briskly returned his attention to the rest of the group. "You're good to go, ranger. Just remember to keep that fire-type under control, and I assume you know the law well enough to follow it?"

"Yes, sir. No fire types inside any building other than a League sponsored structure, as stated in section four thirty nine subsection thirteen of the Indigo Trainers and Pokemon Acquisitions Act."

Zach winced at the display. He was never one to show off, and never saw the point of doing so.

"You missed the part about keeping it under control on the streets too, but that's common sense. I'll let it slide," he rose his head from his fist, a position he had taken during the encounter when he became more relaxed when he saw an example of the new roster of law enforcement. "Keep up to date on the laws, and memorize the ethics. They're your best defense against lawyers." He grinned before turning to meet Zach's urgent gaze, his smile fading and his face hardening again.

"Step forward and present your ID." He looked over Zach's shoulder to Amy. "You're vouched for by family being law enforcement and present. The guard with the growlith will check you for any contraband."

Zach stepped forward, and fished his identification from his pocket. The guard's eyes narrowed as he read Zach's information more pronounced.

"Is the ranger your escort then, researcher?"

"Yes, sir. Until my pokemon can be healed at a Pokemon Center." Without any form of smooth transition, Zach leaned forward on the desk, the bags under his eyes becoming more pronounced to the man. "I do need to report a kidnapping."

The guard raised his eyebrow at him, sitting down and sitting up straight in his chair. "You'd be lucky to get any help. Cianwood's been nosing around in our waters again, and relations with our politicians haven't settled much. You're foreign so you might not know, but they're well known to be separatist sympathizers. Wanting to rejoin the Sinnoean sovereignty." He chuckled. "Praise the motherland, and all that, but they're violent and still sour after the failed uprising."

"Professor Elm. He's the one who was kidnapped. Does that make any difference?"

"Elm? I know that name..." he said in deep thought. "Oh, right. The scientist from New Bark. I'd tell you to go to the local police, but they'll just send you to Violet City to speak with the high authorities." He leaned in, in a whisper so that he would be inaudible to the guard that stood by the opposite gate leading into the city. "My recommendation is to look for him yourself, off the grid. Tell the police, of course, but with the Dragon Folk to the East and Cianwood to the West, you'd be lucky to get any support."

In a responding whisper, Zach hissed. "He has a wife and son, why the hell wouldn't I receive help?"

"Because he's one man, and if things get worse around here thousands could lose their lives. It's not a perfect morality, but the people leading us are only human. It's the needs of the few against the needs of the many."

Zach stood up and placed his hands over his face, sighing deep into his palms. He lowered his arms, revealing eyes reddening from exhaustion and stress. "Are you saying there's no hope for him? Because I can contact people who say otherwise."

"Everyone's worth something to someone," the guard retorted. "But the professor hasn't made any gains that affect us as a whole. He doesn't mean much to the Violet Region. Contact your people, rally your men. If you have cash, hire some mercenaries, but I think that's the best you can get." He returned Zach's identification to him. "You're clear to go through. If you need help finding the Pokemon Center one of the guards will escort you."

"Hey," a raspy voice called. Zach turned to find an elderly man in a chair. His wrinkled arms folded over his chest, and his gaze shooting daggers into the guard. "I'll show them around. That's my job." He stood, pointing an accusing finger at the nearest guard who stepped away in discomfort. "That's always been my job, and I'll be damned if you young shits take that." His gaze met Zach's, who shifted uneasily where he stood. "Come on. I know this city as if I built it."

The gates opened up and Cherrygrove city sat in its familiar exposed beauty. The first time Zach had made the walk through the town it had been busy, vendors selling their wears, a tauros drawn wagon pulling the cart of a vagabond trainer, and the occasional resident making their way to their respective errands.

To the west was the constant ringing of the bells of ships and the horns of the large metal machines that made the trips between countries. The only thing strong enough to resist the pull of a tentacruel being the steel ironclad behemoths that Zach had used on his journey to his new homeland. Even from the eastern gate he could see the steam from their engines pouring into the sky.

The city itself was flat, unlike Eterna City which hosted skyscrapers and radio towers proudly as a beacon of mankind's triumph over nature. It was what could be expected of a town on the frontier of civilization, dirt roads that crisscrossed the town and the wooden awnings of the cities outermost buildings. It almost felt like the field assistant had stepped back in time.

"I apologize for my anger back there," the old man said, eyeing the younger man worriedly. "I'm the unofficial tour guide of this town, and since the only people who come back and forth from New Bark and Cherrygrove already know the area I have little to do in my old age."

Zach nodded in understanding, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I just appreciate the help," the research assistant admitted.

Adrian walked up beside Zach and the old man. "To the plan then. Amy and I go the police and you get fixed up and ask around for information."

Zach confirmed with a grunt. "We'll meet at the Pokemon Center later." He watched the couple disappear into another street, he was confident they knew their way around.

Despite the man's attempts at small talk, Zach could only think about his next move. His responses to the man's statements and questions were single worded replies and grunts of either confirmation or rejection. For the most part his eyes fell to the ground, a trait most people had evolved out of when they realized they had predators in the skies. Such an action was outside the norm, and the man could see it only as a gesture of troubled expression.

They reached the front door so the pokemon center and Zach's hand gripped the handle of the door, but he paused when te old man told him something that would stick with Zach the rest of his search.

"Don't stop."

Zach turned to the old man, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

"Forget what that guard said. Elm is the only chance people have of civilization succeeding in this region." His face had twisted into a collection of wrinkles and squinted eyes, conveying the gravity of his words. "Just like Oak in Kanto. Pallet would have never made it if not for him. So do not give up. Your mission might seem insignificant in a time when clouds of war loom overhead, but Elm's work defines the needs of the many. They just don't know it yet."

The field assistant blinked in surprise, nodding once to his guide. "Thank you for your words, sir," Zach replied, his mouth tightening.

The man waved his hand in front of him in dismissal. "Don't thank me, and don't worry about telling his family. I'll take that responsibility."

Zach's head lowered incredulously. "Why would you do that?"

The man turned and looked at Zach over his shoulder. "Because he's my son-in-law."

Before Zach could reply, the old man disappeared into the passing crowds of the inner city. The field assistant stood dumbfounded, an expression he rarely hosted. He was in the midst of processing that news when someone knocked on the door from inside the Pokemon Center, requesting he not block the entrance of the building.

The next hour was a haze to Zach. His pokemon had been admitted into the hospital and he sat in the lounge, his thoughts wandering over the man's words. Had his pokemon's health not been a pressing matter he would have pursued him.

The gravity of his mission now pressed on him harder than before, and the air of urgency to find him had risen. He felt as thought he could never have the ease of mind to sleep, but he had been awake for thirty hours at this point and the cloud of exhaustion caught up with him the moment he had the opportunity to physically relax.

He had begun to doze off when one of the nurses approached him, her blue eyes almost glowing as she smiled. "Sir," she addressed, her tone reminding him of how Amy spoke to pokemon. "Your pokemon have been returned to their full health."

Zach rose form his chair and approached the desk, receiving his pokemon from one of the doctors. His shoulder had healed well enough to not bother anyone about it, and he was glad that there was one less tribulation getting in the way of his mission. "Anything I should know about?"

The doctor shook his head. "Your pichu had sustained minor neural damage, but that was nothing the machine couldn't fix. You would be happy to know that he is growing steadily, and that his power is also slowly increasing," the gray haired doctor told him. He leaned on the counter in a relaxed manor. "This is a vital time in a pikachu's growth cycle, his voltage is becoming too powerful for his cheeks to store so ensure he discharges small amounts frequently for the next few weeks to build his tolerance. Give it a another month and he might be ready to evolve. We've had him release some for now so he should be electroneutral."

"That's fantastic news," Zach replied. "and Leo is well too?"

"Yes. The leafeon required some specialized care due to its foreign nature, but it wasn't too difficult for a grass-type specialist to see that he is healthy."

Zach thanked the doctor, received his pokemon, and crossed the sterile room towards the front doors. The trainer left the Pokemon Center, entering the town's central plaza, a collection of trees and flowerbeds which sat outside of the various shops that surrounded the hospital. As people meandered throughout the opulent town center, it took no time for Zach to stop and ask someone for directions to the local pub. He needed to go somewhere were rumours flowed steadily.

SC

The pub had been constructed mostly of wood, the many tables scattered around the floor had been moved around so frequently that there was little hope of Zach trying figure out how they had been situated before. The only sound of the quiet pub was that of a distant radio as quiet jazz music provided a faint ambiance to the otherwise clean establishment.

"The Dark Cave?" Zach asked before taking a drink of his glass of water as he sat on the mahogany bar stool which stood before the bar.

"Mhmm," replied the bartender, who's demeanor had seemed uncaring of Zach's problems. He ever only glanced at Zach as he meticulously kept the bar clean. There were frequent breaks in the conversation for the staff member to check on a patron who had drank too much and found the counter to be a comfortable pillow. "Apparently a bunch of soldiers have been posted just outside of the cave. That's what I've heard at least."

"And you say they're trying to keep something in?"

The bartender shrugged his shoulders, "Couldn't tell you for sure. Plenty of outlaws try to use the cave as a base, but they always get driven out. Maybe your boss was taken there and the authorities have already moved on them."

"That would be a lot of weight off my chest," Zach replied as he took another long drink of his water. "How far is it from here?"

The bartender scoffed. "You serious? It's about a three day trip north of Rosemount Village. Everyone knows where the cave is. The tunnels run all the way to Cerulean City in Kanto."

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not from around here," Zach remarked as if his accent wasn't a dead give away. "Now. Are you telling me they might be trying to flee the country through the tunnels?"

"Only if they're stupid. The network is too complex to navigate, and the pokemon who live in the deeper roads will kill you if hunger and thirst don't." The bartender's mouth twisted and his eyes squinted. "It might not be good for your boss, though. If the authorities have moved onto the cave your criminals might have no choice, and if that's the way they took, your boss is as good as dead."

Zach took a deep breath. "That's a notion I've been afraid of since the start." He stood, paying for his drink as soon as he found the bills in his wallet. Whatever money he could have on his mission would be solely from his saved wages. He couldn't afford luxuries like alcohol or escorts through the wilderness. "Thank you for the information."

The man at the bar didn't respond as he moved towards the radio again, increasing the volume as to make the quiet bar less gloomy. The port town pub had little business at noon, especially in a small city of only three thousand people.

The bell over the door rang and Zach was greeted by the warmth of the sun in the cloudless spring sky. He took a breath of fresh air as a reprieve from the smell of tobacco and opium he had endured for the past hour.

He glanced around before taking out the two pokeballs from inside his jacket and releasing his team. Leo stood stoic as ever as his cat-like eyes stared at Zach awaiting an order, and Riley simply took only a second before running at Zach's boot and tugging at its laces. Zach knelt over and scooped the mouse into his hands. A new respect had been found for the pichu and Zach patted him on the head before placing him in Elm's satchel. He sniffed around the bag before his head emerged as he balanced on the more stable contents of the bag.

Zach looked down at Riley with a smile. __'That's right, Zach. Put him in the bag where he can pee on and muddy up your boss' work.'__

SC

In the plaza in front of the Pokemon Center was where Zach had found himself an hour later. The most he had learned from talking to the locals was that soldiers had been posted outside of the Dark Cave, and how exotic his leafeon was to the country bumpkin of the small city.

He sighed as he sat on a bench, his head resting in his hands as he fought the exhaustion of being awake for so long. He had pulled long hours before, it came with the job, but never while on the field, and never under such circumstances.

He opened his eyes and glanced into the front window of the Pokemon Center, chucking to himself when he saw Amy and Adrian siting at a table next to the window. Adrian looked excited about something, and his wife simply smiled and nodded at his words.

He stood slowly, Leo's head raising from his resting position as his trainer moved. A quick moving figure caught his attention from the corner of his eye, and he turned to investigate. Before he could do so, he felt a fist slam into his cheek, knocking him off balance. Instantaneously, he felt a tight grip squeeze his forearm, and he was pulled closer to his hooded assailant. Hot breath hit him as a fiendish grin peeked at him just inches from his face. He heard the rubbing sound of a knife leaving its scabbard.

In a Sinnoean accent, the words poured into his ears. "Distortion's embrace."

Zach's heart jumped in his chest and he sucked in a deep breath before he felt the mans weight shift towards him. An unanticipated cry of pain and anger erupted from his assailant, and the tight grip was released from Zach's forearm. The young trainer turned to find the cause.

Leo's front paws dug into the man's shoulders as he remained clung to his back, ripping his hooded robes. The two thrashed around as the man attempted to relieve himself of the animal's assault, but Leo would not let go. The man's hood flew off his head, revealing a high cheekbone face twisted in agony.

The leafeon pulled himself up as his whaling cries of rage echoed off the surrounding buildings and, with a hiss, dug his teeth into the side of the unknown person's neck. The man grabbed Leo by the head and, with a surprising feat of strength, threw the enraged animal off his back and onto the floor, placing his hands over his fresh wound as he fled into an alleyway.

Leo regained his footing, almost instantly taking off in pursuit of the assailant, but was called off immediately by his trainer's order. The fox stopped and looked back at Zach, his stomach rising and falling with breaths that were audible to those who had stopped to witness the scene. Zach didn't want his pokemon to be responsible for the death of a human in a settlement, for that would be murder under the responsibility of the pokemon's trainer. What transpired so far was enough to warrant self defense

"Zach!" Amy called out as she and Adrian rushed through the front doors of the Pokemon Center. "What the hell was that?"

Zach sucked in a deep breath as he reached into Elm's satchel to pat Riley's head. "Someone doesn't like me asking questions," he said, his tone dark and his voice shaking.


	6. Strength in Amity

The room smelled vaguely of mahogany, which was the decided upon material for the hotel that was attached to the Pokemon Center. Two separate buildings attached by a single hallway, evidently connected as an after thought in the interest of convenience.

The setting sun peeked through the window and cast a orange glow across the room, illuminating the bed that Adrian sat on. With his feet planted on the floor, he sat alone with his thoughts.

In his hand was the cloth covered object given to him a week before. He had actually almost forgotten about it, the idea of which was cast to the back of his mind where survival and Elm's kidnapping had taken precedence. His fingers ran over the rough cloth, stopping at the edge of the loose fabric. His brow furrowed in bitter curiosity, having seen no reason the identity, or nature, of the object should be unknown to him. Although he had been told it was none of his concern, he felt the contrary.

He pulled the cloth back slowly, exposing a faint glow of light blue which radiated dimly with an icy hue. The ranger's mouth gaped slightly when the exposed section of the object cast its faint light over his hand.

Whatever Elm could know about this object was far outside his area of study, and Adrian began to wonder if giving him this object was a viable objective, or if it was a simple shot in the dark.

Maybe the man had given it to Adrian as a way of ridding himself of whatever danger the object brought. If recent events were any proof, Adrian would have guessed the object brought bad luck.

The silence of the room was interrupted when the door flew open, startling the spaced out ranger. He sat up straight, flicking his thumb to fling the cloth back over the orb, hiding the cold light beneath the fabric, and returning his hand to the warm blanket of orange from the sun.

"This is insane," Amy said, exasperated. She threw her bag to the floor and began to undo the latches that held her armour in place. "The guards took Zach off to the barracks for questioning. Want to know why?" she asked, pausing her removal of the armour to look at Adrian.

"I dunno. Because his pokemon attacked someone in the middle of town?" Adrian guessed, slipping the orb back into the confines of the bag. Although he focused on the conversation with his wife, the tendrils of his mind grasped at the orb.

"Not even that. It was self defense. You should know that," the nurse admitted. "No, they took him in because he's Sinnoean. Can you believe that? He told the guards they were looking for someone with a Sinnoean accent, they said that he had a Sinnoean accent, and took him in on the odd chance that he knew the attacker. I mean," she scoffed. "that's just absurd."

"I can see where they're comin' from," Adrian mumbled, his gaze resting on the floor as he thought. "If two people from the same place were fightin' in the middle of a bar you'd expect them to know each other," he reasoned.

"Countries are just a bit larger than neighborhoods," Amy said, with a smile, as she removed the fortified vest from her torso. "He's probably going to call on you for legal advisement. You might as well go down there now."

Adrian raised an eye brow, turning fully to his wife. "Why'd ya' think that?"

"Because he's obviously smart, honey. Smart enough to be requested from Sinnoh to work for Elm, and smart enough to know when he knows a trained ranger who's versed in the local laws. He's going to use you to get out as soon as he can so he can keep looking Elm," she smiled again at him. "I know that's what I'd do."

Adrian stood, his back popping from his long rest. "Good point. The sooner he's out, the faster we can look." He turned to Amy. "I'll go, so long as you stay in the Pokemon Center so Quen can watch ya'." he advised, pulling the quilava's pokeball off his belt.

"What?" Amy replied, her confused glance turning to her husband.

"Look," Adrian began, holding the pokeball out to Amy. "I don't wanna take any chances. We went right to the barracks to talk to the police. Who knows who overheard that? So I'll leave the Fire Spout with you," he said slowly. "I named her after a legendary guardian for a reason, babe."

Amy hesitated, but reached for the pokeball. "What about you?"

Adrian shrugged. "I have my armour, my baton, and my training. If anyone comes at me they'll see the dirt before they can even feel their own weapon," he said as a large grin spread across his face.

Amy crossed her arms. "Ok. That kind of zealousness might get you killed," she said sternly.

"I'll take em' with me. Then The Man God will have the good fortune to witness me kick the shit out of them in heaven," Adrian retorted with a familiar cocky grin.. "For eternity."

"Adrian," Amy scolded, her eyes narrowing.

Her husband's smile quickly faded, the lines on his forehead becoming pronounced as it furrowed. "Sorry, I'll be careful. At least I have a skarmory now, that should help."

Amy turned fully to her husband now, her eyebrow cocking. "An untrained baby. How do you know he won't just fly off?"

Adrian glanced at the pokeball on his belt. "I don't think he's old enough to fly..." he muttered, then looked back at Amy. "Once we find Elm I'll start training him."."

Amy closed her eyes and nodded respectfully at her husbands words. "You know..." she began, " I appreciate that you're focused on finding him, honey, but what if we don't fin-"

"I'm going to stop you there," Adrian interrupted briskly, holding his hand out to the nurse with a scowl crossing over his often genial features. "We will. I understand your skepticism. We have nothing to go on, nothing besides that wild Dark Cave theory Zach thought up, but it's better than nothing."

"And what if he's right here in Cherrygrove? What if the attacker was afraid we were too close? What if they're afraid of us and will try to kill you? What if Elm's already dead?" As she delivered this last sentence, her eyes shot wide as she realized the severity of her theory.

Adrian's mouth opened to say something, but he simply closed his eyes and shot a jeering breath through clenched teeth as he walked towards the door. He reached his hand to the knob, and looked to his wife. "They better be that afraid, because if you're right and they have my professor right here in this city, then they might have to make a few new laws based on my actions."

"Adrian-" Amy said apologetically, but was cut off by the slamming of the door as her husband stormed out of the room. She looked down to Quen's pokeball, squeezing it tightly before holding it up to her chest. "Just be safe..."

SC

Zach sat in the cold metal chair that sat beside a wooden table, being on the other end of an interrogation that had taken a few moments of pause in order for the officer to speak to another coworker on a matter that did not concern the field assistant. The most comforting thing about the small and poorly lit room was the fact that his leafeon had been allowed to remain with him, and that he could remain with Riley so long as the electric type remained in his pokeball. It was bittersweet. As it turned out many law enforcement members on the frontier were also trainers, and he had been warned of immediate execution if he and Leo tried anything.

The trainer sat sideways on the chair, running his hand slowly up and down the leafeon's mossy fur. The only sound in that quiet room was the humming of the fan on the ceiling, and the rubbing of his fingers on the rough textured fur of the grass-type. His eyes were heavy with lack of sleep and fatigue from his long journey.

His partner's long ears were held back on his head, and his long tail wagged slowly. Leo placed his paw over Zach's forearm affectionately, his eyes communicating a spark of empathy for his trainer. This was a trait the eevee line was known for, animals capable of emotional support.

Zach sighed. "What the hell have we gotten into, bud?" he asked his pokemon, who responded by licking his trainer's hand.

The steel door opened again and Zach shot up in his seat, his gaze meeting the stern glare of the officer who had detained him. She moved towards her chair, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table with a clank that filled the otherwise silent room.

"Where were we?" the officer asked, her eyes piercing into Zach's with trained intimidation.

Zach sat up properly in his chair, keeping his hand on Leo's head. "I was telling you about the idea of profiling?" he offered in defiance.

The officer shook her head. "Mister Pine, if you want to get off without any charges you should start cooperating. We have confirmed reports that some Sinnoean's have moved into Cherrygrove, and you're the first incident we've seen of them causing any problems. Why?"

Zach simply shook his head. "You think I'm involved with them because of my nationality," he reasoned. "Look. I'm working on nothing more than a hunch, so I can understand the interrogation, but I'm not a criminal."

The officer leaned forward in response, maintaining strict eye contact. "Why were you a target?" she repeated slowly, the impatience in her voice rising.

"My boss, Professor Elm, was kidnapped. I suspect the attack was attached to my search. I asked a few too many questions, I guess," Zach said with a shrug.

Zach noticed her flinch slightly. The officer's deep auburn eyes lightened some, and the anger within them faded, as a minimal amount of surprise and concern embedded itself into her features. "Professor Elm's been kidnapped?" she asked.

Zach nodded his head. "Yes, I tried to report it, but the guard at the eastern gate said you guys were too worried about a few ships to aid me," he said, using specifics to limit the questioning.

The officer lost some tension, and her gaze completely lost the fire that burned into Zach. "Those few ships are the reason Azalea Town doesn't reach the coast anymore. Cianwood bombed the city into the forest fifty years ago. So much so that they never bothered to rebuild. So of course we're worried about them. Look around you next time you walk through the street." She gestured as though she stood in the middle of a crowd. "The people are absolutely brittle with fear."

Zach blinked in surprise. "All because some people wanted to be under Sinnoh's rule? "

"It started that way," the officer responded. "I'm not here to give you a history lesson," she hastily diverted. "I'm here to find out why two Sinnoeans are trying to kill each other in the middle of the city."

"I wasn't trying to kill him," he said as he ran his hand behind Leo's ear. "My pokemon was simply trying to protect me." His eyes squinted as he felt the deep reaches of a strain in his throat build. "We have no idea from whom. I just ask for you to not be obtuse."

Hearing the tension build in Zach's voice, she officer closed her eyes and sighed. "Look. I'm not a bitch. All I want is to make sure you're not a threat. You said you worked for professor Elm, right?" she offered, her tone softening.

Zach nodded his head and cleared his throat. "Yes, and I'm trying to find him."

"Can you prove that?" the officer offered, tilting her head forward.

Zach looked into the officers eyes to try to read her, his intuition telling him that she was being genuine. '__Maybe I can get some help after all,'__ he thought as he gestured to Elm's satchel that sat in the far corner of the room. "When you searched the bag, did you see a notebook?"

The officer nodded and stood, her high heels clicking against the cold floor as she crossed the room towards the bag. She knelt down, opening the bag and beginning to fish through the contents.

"It should have a black cover," Zach guided, doing his best to not stare at the officers skirt, which stopped halfway down her toned legs.

She produced the described notebook from the bag, and flipped open the cover, frowning as she skimmed over the words. For almost a minute following, she turned the pages one after the other, filling the room with the sound of the paper running over each other. As she glanced through the pages, her eyes began to dull as her attention seemed to be almost bored out of the task, Zach expected no less from the professor's notes.

Finally, she stopped at the most recent entry, dated as the day before. She skimmed over the notes Elm had made by the fire, her head slowly nodding.

As she ran through the pages, Zach noticed her right hand, the ring finger and pinkie were missing, and a large scar ran past her wrist like a river basin. Her grip was strong on the book despite the truncated fingers, indicating she had a lot of time to get used to her injury.

"Well, it mentions you," she said as she closed the notebook with her two fingered hand. "It also mentions you were injured in an ursaring attack. If you show me the bandages that's all the proof I need." For the first time since Zach had met the officer, she actually smirked as she held up the hand. "I know a real injury when I see one."

Without hesitation Zach unzipped his jacket, removing his right arm from its sleeve. He then pulled the back of his white t-shirt up, revealing the many faded scars on his back, and the bandages that occupied his right shoulder.

"Hmm," the officer sounded, moving back to her seat as Zach recovered himself. "Good enough for me, then."She sat back down and leaned forward on the table, resting her hand on her chin. She took a deep breath as her eyes flickered over the surface of the wooden table. "So the professor is actually gone," she quietly said with genuine concern. "The attack might be linked to his disappearance, then."

"Unfortunately that's irrefutable."

"What did the attacker say?" she asked as her head shot up, grasping at anything that could be a lead.

"Distortions embrace," Zach quoted.

The officer raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

Zach put his hands together as though he would give a lecture, clearing his throat. "In Sinnoean mythology, the distortion world is a variant of the afterlife, being ruled over by the dragon Giratina. It is said that those who have wronged his followers would be sent there, after they die, in order for Giratina to punish them himself. Evidently what he said was a death threat."

The officer closed her eyes and removed a piece of her black hair from her face, revealing a long scar that ran from her temple to her jaw. "So, we might be dealing with a cult based on that statement." She sat up. "Wonderful, first Ecruteak is being torn apart by its religions and now we get the same treatment."

"I've heard mention of Ecruteak before. What exactly is going on there?"

"A bunch of bullsh-"

The officer was cut off when there was a sudden clanging on the metal door, triggering the officer to spin in her chair as she reached for a pokeball. "Come in."

The door slowly opened, revealing a slightly paled Adrian, who reeked of inexperience and nervous unfamiliarity. "Ranger Mitsugi," he addressed with a salute. "I was told Assistant Zachary Pine has been detained and has requested legal advice." He spoke with professional equanimity, despite the sweat that ran down his brow.

The officer stood, returning the salute. "Ranger," she addressed. "He hasn't requested any aid," she stated with vitriolic unease. "What do you know about Distortion?" she asked as she grabbed one of her four pokeballs.

"Whoa, whoa." Zach stood quickly. "He's fine. I know him," he said hastily.

The officer allowed a sly smile, actually appearing quite attractive despite her battered appearance. "Three seconds from having a scyther at your throat," she said with a small smirk. "Next time declare rank, full name, and station,"

"Y-yes, ma'am," the ranger replied as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

"Only one pokemon?" she asked incredulously as she glanced down at his belt.

"I-I left my other one with my wife, ma'am. For protection," the ranger said as he relaxed his stance, his eyes darting between Zach, Leo, and the officer.

"Really?" The officer looked to Zach, then to Adrian. "So, neither of you are safe in this town?"

"Not to our knowledge," Zach responded and he moved across the room to obtain Elm's satchel. "And it was risky to leave Amy alone," he said to Adrian as he threw the bag over his shoulder.

Adrian nodded. "She's in the Pokemon Center in the middle of a well lit room with my quilava. She's safe,"

"Crossbow, rifle, any ice or poison-type," Zach began to list as he moved across the room towards the door. "From what I've seen, these guys ambush."

Adrian's face grew into a slight scowl. "With that said, can we just get back to the Pokemon Center? Ya' might think you're tired, but me and Amy have gone longer than you without sleep."

"I can escort you two there," the officer said.

Zach was stunned at these words. He was not expecting this engagement to end, in any way, pleasant. "That would be preferable, actually,"

"If you guys are looking for Elm, I want to help in any way I can,"

Adrian's nervous presence melted in an instant, and a large grin cracked on his face. "Ha!" He looked at Zach. "Don't believe the word of a single gate guard, Pine."

The officer shook her head. "It's not the aid of the police. This is me helping. Elm means a lot to my brother in New Bark."

"I'll take it," Zach said as he extended his hand out to the officer. "You know my name, but I'm at a disadvantage."

With a smile, the officer reached out to Zach, and shook his hand with a two fingered grip. "Jennifer Itsana." She released her grip from Zach and repeated the gesture to Adrian. "We can retrieve your knife on the way out"

Without another word, Zach smiled and walked past Adrian, who allowed Leo passage before making his own way down the bleak hallway. They walked down the corridor, passing the many patterns that the cinder blocks left in the walls. Zach glanced through each window they passed, seeing the many shadows cast by the street lights. Every shadow had the potential to host peering eyes, and a hand that could swiftly end any one of their lives.

"We need to train," Adrian said as they stood in the front lobby of the barracks. His arms were crossed and his gaze was aimed directly at Zach.

"You think so?"

Adrian nodded. "We both have pokemon who need to be whipped into shape, and we rely on 'em for protection. Tomorrow morning."

"We don't have tim-"

"If our pokemon are weak, we die. Who will look for him then, Zach?" Adrian said strictly. "Our training is progress. We hone our skills."

Zach opened his mouth as he began some protest, but became stumped on a retort. He began to consider the possibilities of their pokemon becoming stronger. Both in aerial and covert affiliations.

The conversation was cut short as Jennifer approached them from the front desk, handing Zach his knife with her better hand. He nodded in thanks and put the knife back into its holster.

The group moved through the front doors, being embraced by the cold spring night. Adrian looked up and down the road, noticing how poorly the flickering street lights illuminated the dirt roads. Many shadows were cast into the streets, and even more along the edges of the alleyways. In the distance, he heard a dog barking.

They began to move east down the road, feeling the salty air from the ocean flow over them with a scent that was oddly pleasant. Zach kept his hands out of his pockets, and ensured that Leo walked ahead of them. Adrian kept a watchful eye on the edges of the street, and Jennifer kept a weary eye on any person they passed. The streets were sparsely populated in the cities outskirts, the majority of the population keeping to the better fortified center.

They silently traveled until the buildings grew denser, and the roads wider. The streetlights lost their flicker when they entered the city's central and more developed area. With this came the rustling of creatures who lurked in the alleyways; cats, raccoons, and the occasional rattata which hunted them both.

"Who's your brother?" Zach asked, breaking the silence of the tense walk.

Jennifer released her gaze from the face of a passing elder, and looked at the research assistant. "He's a guard in New Bark. Elm helped him train his electabuzz."

Adrian turned his head to look at the officer in the eyes, taking a moment to scan her features. "Jason? You're Jason's sister?"

"I remember him," Zach replied. "He saved Elm's life literally two minutes after I first arrived in New Bark."

Jennifer laughed. "He sent me a telegram about that. He was so proud."

"I bet," Adrian remarked. "I remember that kid, always throwing rocks at birds or somethin'," he remarked with a grin. "He had the decorum of a grimer, I'm glad to see he stepped up."

"He was practicing his throw," Jennifer replied. "Damn guy almost got killed by a noctowl in his first venture to find a pokemon. Elm wound up giving him his electabuzz."

Zach's eyes snapped open, this was what Elm was talking about. "What exactly are the statistics of people dying in the wild to find a pokemon?"

Both Adrian and Jennifer fell silent as they scanned the dark passages and the people who walked by them.

"Too many," Adrian replied.

"Latest charts put it at almost a hundred people from the Violet Region alone last year," her eyes fell to the street. "Most of them were kids trying to catch their first, no older than fifteen." he raised her glance pack up in attention. "I can't imagine what it's like in the Ilex Region. Those forests are dense."

"Professor Elm dedicated his work to breeding so people wouldn't have to wander into the wild for their first," Adrian added. "I'm sure you know that."

"He waned to do more than that," Zach replied. He looked down at the satchel. "He was on the verge of something big. He said it would change the world." His mind began to wonder at the contents of the bag.

Adrian laughed. "That's why we gotta find the man and put him back in that lab. His assistants must be worried sick, and don't get started with thinking about his wife." Despite the cheer in his words, Adrian's eyes were dull, betraying the mask his smile adorned on his face.

Zach's gaze fell to the street, sighing deeply. "We're just three against unknown numbers."

"Who they are is the better question," Jennifer replied.

Adrian looked up and scanned the road ahead of them. There was a moment where his heart jumped in his chest, and he stopped dead in his tracks. "Legends..." he swore as his eyes caught the glimpse of a small object reflecting light from a nearby streetlight. The ranger ran ahead of them, despite the protest of Jennifer.

Before Leo could even perk up to Adrian's sudden outburst, the ranger was knelt in front of the object. He turned to look at the other two, his eyes wide and his mouth gaped. He looked back and reached a trembling hand to the pair of circular glasses which caught his attention. When he picked them up, he noticed the cracked lenses, and the scratch marks left by many ventures into the wild. There was no doubt about it in Adrian's mind. Professor Elm had the same glasses since before Adrian even left New Bark to train. With an expression of shock, he stood and held the spectacles over his head as if to celebrate the discovery.

"Guys!" he called out. "These are-"

A black glob of sludge erupted from the shadows between two buildings, flying like a missile into Adrian's chest. As though he had been hit by a truck, he was sent flying towards the road, landing, with a thump, on his back. He stared at the stars above this city, gasping for the air that the impact had forced out of his lungs.

"Shit!" Jennifer called as she reached for one of her pokeballs and aimed it towards Adrian's position. "Lon, guard him!" The ball cracked open and the white light briefly illuminated the area before congealing into her aforementioned scyther.

When the monster formed, Zach's heart raced. He had never encountered a pokemon like this, and the sheer presence of the predator paled him. He hoped deep down that Jenny could control it.

The large raptor-like insect leaned forward, its long abdomen acting as a tail to maintain the balance of the green monster. Its reptile-like head turned to Adrian, exposing rows of sharp teeth as it hissed to whatever it could warn.

Another loud hiss answered from the alleyway, and a small dark purple rodent emerged. Its large and fluffy tail was raised over its head in a warning. The tip of the tail was dripping with toxins. Along the back of the animal were two white strips that ran the entire length of its body, and were stained with splotches of dripped poison onto the fur.

"Again," a voice ordered from the shadows. To both Zach, and Jennifer, the voice sounded nervous.

The pokemon's cat-like head lowered, and its front paws outstretched like a tripod aiming a large gun. The tail angled forward, bulged, and sent another assault of black sludge that erupted from its tip.

The scyther dodged to the side, and the matte foam soared past his head, impacting the dirt with a corrosive hiss. At the same moment that Lon outstretched his small wings, Zach realized that the venom was corrosive, and had likely been eating away at Adrian's armour.

"It's a stunky!" Zach informed Jennifer. "Dark and poison-type!" He braced himself to be at Adrian's side in an instant.

As the scyther shot forward towards the small pokemon, Zach shot forward towards Adrian, braving the sounds of the battle that broke out beside him. He dropped to his knees as he ran, sliding to a halt at Adrian's side before he immediately got to work on removing the armour. Adrian was gasping for air, straining to capture the precious air around him.

Leo took his position between his trainer and the engagement, watching both people wearily. "Leo," Zach called. "Come here and lie down." The fox prowled over, following Zach's gesture to proper orientation. Zach gently grabbed one of the leaves that protruded from the leafeon's head, and placed it over Adrian's nose. "Breath through this," he commanded. "Leo can filter the air. Leo, hold," he ordered his pokemon as he started to work at the straps, and the loyal fox didn't budge a tense muscle.

Jennifer watched both Zach and the battle closely, another pokeball, in her hand, at the ready. Her well trained pokemon maintained a distance, jumping back and forth as the stunky had to continuously regain its aim. She saw the fatigue build in the small rodent, who came nowhere near close to outlasting the stamina of her pokemon.

Finally, the trainer saw the opportunity arise when the rodent took too long to readjust. "Now!" she ordered, and the scyther lunged forward. The stunky was pinned to the ground with the insect's foot, and was swiftly decapitated by the scyther's scythed arms. She heard the shock from the unseen trainer, and grinned when Lon turned his attention to the cry.

"Bring him," she ordered, and the scyther darted into the alley with bird-like elegance.

Zach undid the last latch, but still felt as though he was working too slow. Adrian's eyes had become red, and his complexion pale. Leo's air purification could only slow the effects of the toxic fumes, but it would buy him time.

"Dammit, stay with me!" he swore as he removed the vest from the rangers torso. "If you die I have to tell your wife, you think I want to live with that?" He tossed the sizzling vest aside. "Who will find Elm then? Me? It was my watch he was taken under!" He immediately stood and maneuvered towards Adrian's head. He leaned forward, and, holding his breath to not inhale fumes, hooked his arms under Adrian's to move him.

He stopped and winced as the wound on his shoulder began to burn. It was beyond the point of being able to reopen, but the pain still shot through this muscle like a fire. Swearing, he repositioned expelled a long held breath as he heaved the heavy ranger. His shoulder screamed at him, but the pain was what drove him. Pain and anger.

Finally, Adrian was an acceptable distance from the toxins, and Leo was ordered to keep his purifying foliage over Adrian's mouth and nose. Zach glanced behind him, and felt the smallest level of relief that no one was behind him in preparation to kill him.

Jennifer frowned when Lon emerged from the back street with no one in his custody. She shook her head and tossed two other pokeballs to the ground, releasing a large and yellow kangaroo-like pokemon that stood prominently on its hind legs. The ampharos turned its head to her trainer, maintaining her balance with her long and powerful tail.

Beside it another pokemon emerged. The light revealed a tall and slender golduck. He stood upright, clicking its bill and looking at Jennifer with an almost human look in its bird-like eyes. The gem on his head shone dimply, indicating powerful psychic capabilities.

"Rien," she ordered the golduck. "Look after those two," she said as she pointed towards Zach and Adrian, feeling no need to short form her orders to the intelligent duck. With a nod and a click of his bill, he turned and slowly walked to the duo, sending a psychic signal of peaceful intentions to Leo.

"Amon," she said to her ampharos, who snorted at the mention of her name. "With me, start glowing. We're going to search the alley," she said he she walked past her electric-type, running her hand through its short fur affectionately. She moved past Lon, who greeted his trainer and the familiar ampharos with an affectionate humming from his wings.

A red bulb on the tip of Amon's thick tail began to glow, illuminating the dark alleyway in a red hue before the officer and her two pokemon entered the alley.

Zach glanced sidelong at the golduck, who nodded at him with a disturbingly human-like mannerism. "He's dehydrated. Can you help with that?" he asked the pokemon, who simply looked at him blankly and tilted his head to the side. Despite the pokemon's intelligence, advanced concepts were still beyond it. Zach studied psychics before, and found that their human-like behaviour was learned in a domestic setting, and not inborn.

Adrian began to wheeze, and Zach's heart jumped into his throat from the sudden sound. He looked down, and found the ranger had paled further, and his veins began to protrude in his neck. He looked up, seeing the feint glow of the Pokemon Center down the street. By the time he looked back, the ranger's lips had begun to turn blue.

He turned and called to the officer. "Jennifer!" he cried out, his voice echoing off the buildings in the silence of the street. "There's no time!"

Within seconds, Amon came bounding around the corner in graceful hops, her large hoofed feet impacting the dirt. The ampharos stopped beside Adrian, and lowered herself to her front legs. Sniffing at the injured ranger eagerly with short brays.

Jennifer herself emerged from the alleyway immediately afterwards. She erupted from the shadows on top of a large arcanine, who landed with a particular grace. She glanced down from on top of her pokemon with a look of confident urgency. "Rien," she ordered. "Get him onto Hyana." She looked to the scyther. "Meet me at those lights," she said as she pointed towards the distant glow of the Pokemon Center.

The golduck nodded as the gem on his head began to faintly glow. The air around Adrian shimmered, looking like feint waves in the air. He began to lift off the ground, still gasping for air and labored breaths. He was carefully drifted towards the back of the arcanine, being placed onto the pokemon's soft fur.

Jennifer returned Amon and Rien. "Lon, escort him to me," she said. Before she finished her order the acranine bolted forward with a roaring speed, leaving a large dust cloud in its path.

Glancing only briefly to the imposing bug-type, Zach shot forward in a half sprint with Leo and Lon at his sides. He took the familiar comfort of his partner, who ran with him on his left flank. A contrast to the heavily audible breaths from the scyther's on his other flank.

In only a few minutes they reached the Pokemon Center, erupting through the front doors just in time to see Adrian pass trough the entrance to the ER on a gurney. He saw Amy, who ran from behind the Pokemon Center's front desk with a large needle, moving quickly through the doors shortly thereafter.

Jennifer stood in the middle of the large and sterile white room, rubbing her arcanine's neck as it panted heavily. The drool from her tongue sizzling as it impacted the ground. Her scyther silently moved towards her, his claws clicking on the tiled floor. As he approached his trainer, she placed her other free hand on the back of his head, giving a proud pat. She then turned to meet her gaze to Zach, a small smile crossing her features.

"Good work out there," she said. She turned her focus to her pokemon after, offering them the same praise.

Zach responded with a nod before he slowly made his way towards one of the seats to rest. As he sat on the uncomfortable chair, he felt his head grow heavy, and his eyes began to fall.

He was momentarily jerked back to awareness when Jennifer sat next to him, her posture professional and straight.

"I'll brief you before you fall asleep," she began. "I saw signs of teleportation in the alley, so your attacker escaped. Ranger Mitsugi is in critical condition, but he should be fine if monitored closely. I'll stay here tonight, and make sure nothing happens while you guys sleep. Ok?"

Zach nodded and slowly stood. "That's fair," he muttered as he slowly walked towards the staircase that led to the hotel. Leo walked close, periodically butting his head into Zach's leg to keep him awake. Before he took his first step on the stair, he turned to look at the officer again.

"My friend wants us to train our pokemon. I didn't see the merit of his idea until you displayed his meaning tonight. I think you did more than save us tonight, you might have taught a man how to fish instead of fishing for him," he said before disappearing up the staircase.

SC

Zach slowly entered his own room, the night's events replaying in his mind like a broken record. Through adrenaline and a still racing heart, he mustered the energy to reach into his jacket and retrieve Riley's pokeball. The capsule cracked open, filling the dark room with the light of the congealing pichu. Riley approached his trainer, who reached a hand out to him.

From outside the hotel, a passerby jumped in surprise when the window above her flashed with an electrical discharge, and from the immediate yelp of pain that cried from within the building. She stopped and stared at the glass for a moment, and then simply shook her head and shoved her hands into her pockets as she moved on.

Eyeing the angry red mark on his forearm, Zach bounded for the room's sink as he scolded the pichu. Black dots flew through his vision as he held the sore under cold water. As the reliving water ran down his arm, he found himself with a burst of energy. He sighed as he attempted to calm himself.

He stepped out of the bathroom, running a cloth carefully over himself to dry, and couldn't help but smile at the scene he walked in on. Leo had Riley gingerly pinned to the floor with his front paw, his folded tail wagging and the small mouse playfully squirming under the older pokemon's gentle hold. A smaller surge of electricity flashed into Leo's paw, being barely felt by the grass-type.

"Bed, guys," he ordered as a parent would. Leo unpinned Riley and jumped onto the bed, curling up near the foot. Zach helped the pichu up, and it scampered over to the leafeon, the two cuddling up as they began to doze off.

Zach himself laid on the bed and closed his eyes, but the surge of electricity through his system seemed to drive him out of sleep's grasp for the moment. With a sigh, he rose to a sitting position.

He grabbed Elm's satchel and peered inside, sighing in discontent on seeing the mud Riley had tracked onto the reports and files. He he begun to fish through the papers to see the full extent of the damage, and noticed one file that was particularly large, stapled together neatly in a fashion uncharacteristic of the other papers.

__'Maybe some reading will help me sleep,'__ Zach thought as he pulled the document from the bag. Everything was hand written, which made sense to the field assistant, who had not seen a computer containing the proper software for writing documents in Elm's lab.

To Zach, this at first sounded profound, but as he spent more time on the frontier he learned of the priorities the people had. Pen and paper would do what writing software could while a radar could only be done with very specific requirements, and had no alternatives.

He read the first page, which detailed who wrote the paper, and the proper identification in case correspondence were needed. He flipped it to the second page, seeing a name he had heard passively in conversations with his boss. It contained only two lines.

_In the event where I am unable to carry out this work due to some contingency, please notify Mr. Pokemon._

_57 Appleview Street, Rosemount of the Violet Region_

Zach's mouth hung open, and he reread the words until sleep enveloped him in its warm embrace.

SC

Jennifer remained in the lobby of the Pokemon Center, periodically glancing up at the clock that hung over the front desk. Despite her relaxed position, he kept a strict vigil. Her eyes reflexively shot towards the emergency room doors as they flung open and exposed the woman she had only seen briefly before.

Her amber eyes matched the officers in tone, but hers were red as to give an indication of the weight she had been put under this night. It only took her a glance at her right ring finger to verify that she was married and confident, but was doing her best to endure the weight of almost losing her husband.

The girl flashed a glance in her direction, taking only a moment to herself before quickly moving across the room in her direction. As she grew closer, Jennifer's sharp vision caught the remnants of tears on her cheeks, and sweat on her brow. She had wondered if she was in the room with the doctors while they operated on him.

Her eyes followed the girl as she approached, and her position shifted to be straight and blended professional with casual. There were a few tense seconds as Jennifer listened to her footsteps grow louder, and she prepared herself mentally. The girl now stood only a foot in front of her, with eyes that shifted awkwardly around on the floor.

Exposed emotionally, Amy heaved a quivering sigh as she shook, and her gaze finally met the officers. Jennifer disallowed herself the first word, this conversation would have to be directed by the impacted girl.

Only after a brief pause did Amy speak. "Thank you."

Jennifer nodded and gave a comforting smile. "Just doing my job," she said warmly.

Amy took a seat on the other end of the cushioned bench, staring the the dirty floor by her feet. "I tried to help them, but I couldn't do it. Anyone else and I could have stayed calm."

Jennifer nodded. "I'm sure what you managed to do helped them save him."

Amy remained silent for a few minutes afterwards, during which Jennifer remained vigilant on the clock, and the surroundings. The time for another patrol was coming close, but that could wait.

Amy finally spoke after a minute of silence. "His friend. Did he help?"

"Zach?" she asked, to which Amy nodded. "I've never seen anyone rush to someone's aid that fast. Your husband was lucky he was there."

Amy tightened her mouth, and she nodded again slowly. "That's good. I'm glad he was there. How did he help?"

Jennifer immediately responded. "He removed your husband's armour due to the acid, and dragged him out of the lingering fumes. He seems to know what he's doing."

Amy turned her head to meet the officer's eyes, evident relief and concern mixed together in an emotional paradox. "I was having my doubts about trusting him."

The officer shook her head. "No matter how bad things are, there will always be people willing to help. Just because you have bandits on the roads, doesn't mean that everyone else follows that mindset."

Amy sighed knowingly, putting an elbow on her knee and resting her head on her hand. "Yet we're attacked in the streets of your city."

"Those people aren't from here, and have no place in Johto," Jennifer offered.

"It's hard for me to tell if this city is safe. My husband and his friend were attacked only two hours apart," she shook weakly as her hand gripped together. "I'm looking at everyone like I'm next. How the hell am I supposed to trust anyone? Let alone help in a search for someone I've never met?"

Jennifer's shoulders tensed at the outburst, but her eyes filled with empathy. "Miss Mitsugi, I deal with the bottom of the barrel almost every day. I see the shit of mankind, and those who make a living off of other people's loss and misery. I deal with those people all day, and guess what?" the officer asked.

Amy didn't respond, only giving an irritated shrug.

"I see the same faces over and over again. Cherrygrove has thirteen hundred people in it, and I deal with maybe one hundred of them. I remind myself that, even though there are criminals and scum, they are the minority among twelve hundred other honest people."

There was a long pause in the conversation, then Amy stood up, her hands were clenched tightly. "I don't know how you maintain that mindset, but I see your point," she admitted quietly. "How do we ensure our own safety?" she asked as she briskly released the question that ate at her for the entire night.

Jennifer stood, rubbing out the wrinkles on her uniform. "By taking charge of your situation with courage. Show them you won't be intimidated, and show them that trying to break you is like waking up a snorlax. Because when a snorlax wakes up, entire towns are evacuated."

Amy's eyes flared with apprehensive thought. "Be a snorlax?"

"As cheesy as the saying sounds, yes. That's what my father told me when I left Violet City."

"You're telling us to be vigilantes?"

"Nothing violent. We're smarter than a snorlax, and are capable of much more. There are better methods than fighting, but a snorlax destroys, and you can do that without bloodshed."

"But... if we're attacked again?"

Jennifer's gaze darkened, and her face grew stern. "Then be a snorlax," she repeated.

Amy produced Quen's pokeball from her belt, eyeing the capsule up and down as she remembered the times before where the quilava had protected both of them loyally. She nodded. "Be a snorlax," she concurred.

Jennifer's expression returned to her soft and comforting gaze, and she nodded. "Yes," she said as she looked up at the clock. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to do a patrol. Will you be ok?"

Amy nodded, and her tired eyes evidently grew heavy. "Thank you," she said again and shook the officer's hand. The nurse was taken aback briefly by the missing appendages, but didn't mention it to be polite. "I'll be in room fifty six if anything comes up about my husband."

"Both you and Zach will know."

Amy released her grip and turned for the stairs, thanking the officer again before disappearing as Zach did an hour ago.

__'Sweet girl,' __Jennifer thought as she moved towards the nurse's desk. She leaned on it as she stared down the attending nurse, who glanced at her sidelong for a few moments before paying her full attention.

"If anything changes with Adrian Mitsugi, let me know," she said and she pushed herself away from the desk without hearing the verification from the nurse.

She reached for Rien's pokeball, deciding it was his turn for company. Amon had her turn before that, and it went without incident. She wished Rien had the same illuminating abilities as the ampharos, but his psychic abilities made up for wandering in the dark.

As she walked through the front doors, the golduck congealed and looked to his trainer for orders. She simply waved him to her as she walked town the street, turning into the now familiar alleyway. As she emerged herself into the darkness, she began to fish for the flashlight on her belt, swearing when she realized she left it at the station.

Did she want to go back for it? She pondered the question as she looked into the umbrageous corridor, but she shrugged to herself and she slowly made her move into the alley.

The darkness surrounded her, but she took comfort in her golduck's presence. She reached her hand out, finding the oily feathers of her companion on her two fingered hand and smiled faintly to herself as she remembered back to the days of her travels when things like this were the norm.

By the time her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she had reached the back way that led behind the hotel. Her vision picked up the faint outlines of a dumpster and a distant fence that separated the back of the hotel and the Pokemon Center. As well as the blur of a cat that scampered away from the sight of the dominant pokemon.

Or she thought it was from her golduck, but the sounds of bottles falling and the rustling of garbage bags made her think otherwise. She silently ordered Rien to move forward, crouching down as she took silent steps towards the source of the sound. Jennifer stopped at the dumpster, and poked her head around to find the dark outlines of a man facing the wall.

He spoke quietly to himself, the most interesting of the words being kerosene. His voice was cracking and high pitched, and accented with that familiar Sinnoean cadence. Her brow furrowed as her face grew into a scowl, and she immediately ordered Rien to hold him.

The man stopped at once when he noticed the feint red glow, and only turned slightly before the air around him shimmered and flickered with a invariable purple glow.

Before he could speak, Jennifer stepped forward and jammed her baton into his mouth. "Anything risky and you'll be spending the rest of the night looking for your teeth in this alley. Got it?" she growled. "Now, what the hell are you doing back here talking about kerosene?" She removed the baton, but kept it close to his face, making sure it remained in his field of vision.

The small man could only emit a series of half excuses, and wildly varying stories that contradicted each other so bad that even Rien could have seen through them when he was a psyduck. She had him surprised, and his intentions became clear.

She chuckled. "Sinnoean, huh? I had a run in with one of you earlier..." she said quietly, and trailed off. She looked at his belt, noticing two pokeballs, one of which had a black lens, indicating that the pokemon the ball belonged to was dead. "Wait. I guess it's still only one. What's the story, assassin?"

The man remained quiet, only silently whimpering.

Jennifer nodded and produced a pair of handcuffs from her belt. "Let me tell you something about myself. I'm a six badge trainer, and I doubt any of your pokemon could hold up against mine. So, let's make this easy, and let my golduck put your hands behind your back."

* * *

**Jennifer is Jenny, just to clear that up if there is any confusion. I had a lot of fun writing her. **

**Also, it is worth mentioning that I have officially converted this into an AU. I've taken liberties with lore, backstories, and the ages of characters. As well as the power of a pokemon to make them a little more believable. **


	7. Preparations and Inspirations

The night had been plagued with dreams involving hyper beams and screams for help, and contrasted by the constant feeling of a dark presence. He saw dark figures moving through open valleys, and objects in the sky that matched the size of the ship that brought him in from his northern homeland. Monsters twisted around him and grotesque faces warped in and out of existence. All e could do was sit and watch as his body refused to move.

When he finally awoke, Zach couldn't recall any of the specific erratic images, only the intense fear he had felt throughout his slumber. He awoke with a gasp, staring into the plain white ceiling. As he laid there in post-dream contemplation. The same phrase echoed through his mind as the only solid recollection of his nightmare.

"****Stop them!"****

Zach took a deep breath and glanced around the room as he propped himself up by his elbows. Through the west facing window, he noticed the bleached early morning light shine over the city, and he took a deep breath to calm himself in the soothing light.

He wanted to believe that he would wake up in New Bark, where he would go to work and see Elm safe in his lab, but the fact that he laid in a bed in Cherrygrove told him the contrary. It was one more day, and it was all the same. His friend was injured, his boss taken, and his mentality was in a constant struggle between remaining calm and contemplative, or stressed and brash. He placed a hand over his eyes, as if to shield the world from his vision, and took a deep sigh.

He lowered his hand slowly and looked over to the foot of the bed. Leo and Riley had yet to awaken, and remained in their cuddled position. Despite all the tribulations, Zach took comfort in the idea that those creatures didn't feel the same stress he did. He envied them.

The field assistant leaned back and rested his shoulders on the headrest of the bed. He closed his eyes again and took a deep and heavy sigh, taking a moment to try to conceptualize a plan based on the words he had read. The hand written document laid beside him, the words staring at him as if to urge him forward. Zach knew he needed to preserve the works, but he couldn't leave Cherrygrove until he either found Elm, or undeniable proof that searching the closest bastion of civilization, from where they were ambushed, was not lucrative.

There was a brief moment of comforting ambiance as the silent humming of the ceiling fan accompanied him. He remained in a state of post-nightmare contemplation, absently tapping his finger on the white sheets. He was thrown out of his reverie when there was a knocking on the door. The sound caused Leo to raise his head swiftly, the daze of sudden wakefulness appearing over the fox's face as though he had been drinking.

The trainer himself sighed again as he took great effort to remove the blankets from over him, ensuring to not rock the bed too much so Riley could continue to sleep. He planted his feet on the cold hardwood floor, shaking his head at the fact that he slept in his clothes. He was used to roughing it, but in the middle of a city there were more hygienic alternatives.

"Come in," he called tiredly.

The door opened a crack, and he saw fingers creep over the edge of the door. "Are you decent?" he heard Amy ask, her tone almost hesitant.

Zach confirmed and Amy opened the door fully, earning a threatening thump, on the bed, from Leo's tail. Glancing at the leafeon, she stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her, leaning against the entrance as to limit her intrusion. A moment of awkward silence filled the room. The two had not spoken much since they had met, and what she had said could have been interpreted as rude. Still he saw her smile and care for her husband, and the care she had shown for pokemon spoke for her character more than some choice words.

"I wanted to thank you..." she said quietly as she stared at the hardwood floor.

Zach nodded and stood, earning the eager look from his pokemon as the leafeon awaited an order. The trainer called for his pokemon to relax, and the fox laid his head on the bed with his large cat-like eyes remaining on the woman.

"I'm not the one to thank," Zach dismissed as he placed his hand behind his back.

Amy nodded and her eyes met with Leo's, who perked his ears in attention. "I already thanked the officer," she informed as she stood up straight and finally made eye contact with Zach.

"Good, she's the one who saved Adrian's life. If she wasn't there I don't know what would have happened to us," he said in a professional tone, as though he was delivering a post incident report.

Amy allowed a smile to cross her features, and her eyes softened. "She told me what you did for him. Zach. You saved my husband's life. Can you please just accept the damn gratitude?" she spoke with a small chuckle.

Zach nodded and returned Amy's smile as a way to mask the dread that loomed over his mind like a blanket of snow. "How is he, by the way?"

Amy's eyes fell to the floor again and she shrugged. "I was on my way to check up on him. Last I heard he was doing well." she said. She looked back up to Zach eagerly. "I was coming by to see if you wanted to come with me."

The professional researcher broke his stance as his arms felt to his side and he stepped towards the end table that hosted Elm's satchel. "Absolutely. Just give be a minute to get some things together and..." He paused as he glanced over to Riley as if he had looked at a loaded gun. "...wake The Chaotic up."

Amy nodded and laughed. "Good luck with that," she said as she and turned and reached for the door knob. She stopped as she looked at Zach from over her shoulder. "Zach. I think I was wrong about you. "

Zach paused his preparation and looked over his shoulder to the woman with a cocked eyebrow. He felt the chagrin warm his face despite his foresight of Amy's demeanor. "Oh?"

Amy nodded. "At first I thought you were a bit of an ass. Flashy vocabulary and mannerism, trying to show off like most of the upper class on the frontier, but I can also see that you care about other people, and your pokemon. I was wrong, and you turned out to be a good guy. So can you do Adrian and I a favour?"

Zach stood up straight, and the surprised and expectant expression on his face spoke for him. He felt the anger in his chest lower, and he mulled over possible responses for a moment. "Sure," he opted to say.

"Don't beat yourself up over Elm. Just go through the motions. Think of the smaller steps that lead to the big picture. Asking around won't help, since that's how you became a target. Just remember you're not alone in this, and it doesn't all fall on you." She took a step forward, earning a small yip from Leo. "You have friends now. The professor means a lot to my husband, and therefor me. Jennifer seems to care about you guys too, since she stayed here all night watching you two." She looked at the fox, and the small mouse that had since moved from the agitated animal.

"That's..." Zach said softly as he relaxed. "That's actually very kind of you."

Amy smiled as she opened the door. "Just don't be an idiot and think you're alone. Ok?"

Zach simply nodded before Amy closed the door behind her, and he stood in the sparsely furnished room with the conversation playing over in his mind as he continued to stare at the door. He felt almost as if a huge weight had been lifted. There was a tingling sensation of clarity in his mind for the first time in days, and a wash of relief came over him like a surge of electricity. It was only when he saw the spots in his eyes and felt the numbness of his fingers did he realize that the sensation was brought on by Riley's affectionate brand of morning jolts. He was either getting used to it, or Riley had shown him mercy.

He had expected Amy's gratitude, but not her words, nor her friendship.

He began to think about how he could apply her advice as he began to gather the document and his pokeballs. He paused to look out the window in a meditative state, and began to contemplate the implications of brash actions as he saw the distant mark on the road where the acid had corroded the dirt. Even from his long-distance orientation, it appeared as a large dark spot in the sand, and he dreaded to think about what Adrian might have looked like had he not sprung into action. He felt responsible, like an anchor dragging down a ship.

A few minutes later Zach emerged from his room with Elm's satchel hung over his shoulder and Leo at his feet. He opened the flap of the satchel to allow Riley to poke his head out. The trainer looked both ways down the hallway before finding Amy leaning against the wall. On her waist was a single pokeball, which Zach assumed to be Adrian's quilava.

Riley squeaked with delight upon seeing his saviour, and jumped out of the satchel, much to his trainer's protest. As he scampered towards the nurse, his trainer maintained a strict vigil. The little mouse met the distracted woman with a pat on her shoe, and stood upon his haunches to look up at her.

Amy's attention snapped to the pichu with a blink of surprise. The little rodent looked up at her with a twitching tail, and leaned on her shin as if to ask to be held. She leaned over to pet him on the head, pulling a piece of her hair behind her ear as she did so. As Zach began his approach, Riley attempted to jump into Amy's hand, causing the nurse to jump and recoil her hand in surprise. Zach stifled a laugh.

"Looks like he remembers the forest," Zach said as he and Leo approached to two.

"Looks like it," she replied as she allowed Riley into her hand. She held the mouse against her chest as the two began to make their way down the hallway. She began to gently rub Riley on the stomach, eliciting a squeak of approval from the mouse.

"I wouldn't recommend that," Zach warned. "He's apparently close to evolving."

"Oh," Amy said quietly as she opted to rub his head instead. "Pre-evolutionary discharges. Has he hit you with them at all?"

"He shocked me last night. On the bright side it was the most powerful one he's given me so far. I think he's getting stronger by natural growth."

As they began to make their way down the stairs. The only sound to accompany them as they descended being the creaking of the wooden staircase. At the foot of the stairs, the wood gave way to ceramic flooring, nailing the theory that the buildings were connected after their construction.

They both took a moment of perusal, taking extra care to study the faces of the people around them. Only a few people occupied the booths that sat perpendicular to the large windows, lethargically eating their breakfast. This sluggishness satisfied Zach, as he knew that there were no threats in the nonhazardous Pokemon Center.

"Looks like your husband is healthy, Miss Mutsugi," the nurse at the front desk said. "If you want you can go and see him before he's released."

With a word of thanks, they parted and moved for the back doors that Amy had become familiar with. The moment they passed through the doors, Zach's mind wandered to the smells of Rowan's lab. He was intimately familiar with the scent of a sterile, but populated environment. A part of him longed to be back in Eterna City.

He returned Riley and Leo to their pokeballs at the recommendation of Amy. It wasn't illegal to have them out in the medical bay, but it would avoid any scrutiny from over worked and short tempered staff.

They navigated the hallways, passing windows that peered into rooms which hosted pokemon and humans alike, each room being of wildly varying set ups. In Sinnoh, Pokemon Centers were for pokemon, and humans had their own hospital. He assumed the lower population meant there was little need to separate the two facilities in Johto, as well as to relieve the strain of higher demand of staff for separate facilities.

They stopped at a cross road of hallways, peering up at the sign which hosted varying types and body shapes of pokemon, each undoubtedly requiring someone of specialized training. It appeared, to Zach, that the specializations also allowed for doctors to treat humans who had been injured by these specific types. It was an efficient system.

Amy pointed out the Indigo Leagues designated symbol for the Poison-Type, a classic skull crossed by two bones. Once they had their barrings, Amy moved through the section of the small hospital as though she had worked there for years, but Zach knew better. She simply knew exactly where her husband was being kept.

They found the door, a basic wooden design signifying a room meant for humans, as many types of pokemon could easily break down the shoddy frame. The nurse only knocked twice before opening the door slowly.

The room was dark since it was not against any of the Pokemon Center's outer walls. No windows allowed the early morning sun to soak the room, only the dim florescent lights and the illumination of various machines. Despite the depressing aura of the hospital room, Adrian met them with a grin.

"You look healthy," Zach said heartily as he watched Amy move to check the machines that were attached to her husband's arm.

Adrian met Amy with a warm kiss on the cheek, and looked back to Zach. "It's going to take more than a little poison to kill this son of a bitch," he said as he threw a thumb against his chest.

"What exactly happened?" Amy inquired as she scanned over the many numbers that displayed on the small computer's screen.

Adrian shrugged. "No idea. I could hear everything, but I was too busy... being distracted," he said, diverting the sentence as to not raise more concern for himself. He cleared his throat and looked to the field assistant. "Zach..." he said, his tone immediately darkening. "Those were Elm's glasses. Just in the middle of the street."

Moving from the door to the foot of the bed, Zach leaned against the foot board. His face had turned from lighthearted to straight, showing no emotion as he ran through theories and concepts. "They knew one of us would go for them. It was the perfect bait."

Adrian nodded. "What could that mean?"

Zach closed his eyes, the gears in his mind turning as he sorted his aforementioned theories. "Two things. Elm's in Cherrygrove, or they're trying to throw us off," he said as his grip tightened on the wood of the foot board. "Maybe they thought it wouldn't matter since it was an attempt on our lives." His eyes opened, and peered at Adrian through cold and calculative hazel. "We were lucky Jennifer was with us."

Adrian smiled and sat up on the bed, hanging his elbows over his knees. "What I said last night, Zach. About us trainin'? I meant that. We won't be that lucky all the time, and when that time comes we need to be prepared. Right now I fell as good as a meganium on a sunny day, and I feel like trainin'."

Zach sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I really have no idea about how to train a pichu, Adrian. I was going to do that when Elm and I were finished our expedition on route twenty nine. He had a textbook on the subject, if I recall."

Adrian shifted to the edge of the bed, planting his bare feet on the cold floor. He glanced up to his wife, who met his gaze with a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What do you recommend, babe?" he asked.

Amy's eyes dropped to the floor in contemplation, blinking slowly as she silently recalled and mentally rehearsed what she had learned of electric-types during her apprenticeship. In the silent moments of conceptualization, Zach did the same, although their knowledge varied greatly.

Finally, the well trained nurse looked up at Zach. "If he's undergoing pre-evolutionary discharges, I recommend you have him expel short, but frequent bursts. That way he can get used to his own voltage, while naturally learning to maintain the amps at a survivable level."

Zach met Amy's gaze, inspiration clearly defined in his features. "Of course. I can simultaneously tune his aim and focus on harnessing the electricity. He'd subconsciously learn how to use those stored volts to boost his muscle twitches. I can have him dancing around enemies before he even evolves."

Amy cocked an eyebrow. "Would he?"

Zach nodded. "I read a few papers that state most pokemon learn their abilities naturally, while being boosted by the teachings of others. That's why you'd never see a pokemon who taught itself its abilities survive long against the more powerful ones who grew up with stronger tutors. Certain exceptions apply, of course."

Adrian snorted a laugh as he slowly pushed himself to his feet, eyeing the IV that stuck out of his arm. "You guys make a helluva team," he said as his eyes met with his vital signs displayed on the screen. He frowned. "Wow. I thought my blood pressure would be higher given the circumstances."

Zach too glanced at the display, cocking an eyebrow when he saw the healthy numbers. "I don't know how you do it," he said somberly. "How do you stay so positive despite the tribulations?"

Adrian turned and looked behind him to his stressed friend, cocking another grin. "Zach. I have a father protecting his home town from hill tribes in the Orange Isles, I grew up in a town where a single gyarados could end everything, and I came close to death more times than I can count. I learned well that staying on the lighter side of things makes any problem seem small in the big picture, and the solution is always on the horizon."

"You solve your problems one step at a time," Zach concluded through his breath, looking at Amy, who confirmed his deduction with a nod.

"Exactly. Now, where the hell is the doctor so we can get out of here? I know of a small field where we could train."

Amy squeezed Adrian's shoulder again before silently dismissing herself from the room. Once she left, Adrian let out a hefty sigh, sitting back onto the bed and running his hand through his hair.

"What the hell are we gonna do?" he asked in an almost pleading tone.

Zach was taken back by Adrian's sudden shift in mood. There was a different inclination about him. "I read something last night that might make a good next move," he said, blinking in discomfort as he shifted his gaze to the wall behind the ranger.

With an expression on disbelief and incredulity, Adrian looked over to the field assistant. "What's that?"

"What do you know about Mr. Pokemon? Elm has a large assortment of research stating that it is to be delivered to him if he's unable to continue the work."

"I've heard the name," Adrian muttered. "Apparently he's the correspondence between Elm and the researchers in Goldenrod." He stood again. "All things considered, it's better than that Dark Cave theory."

Zach shook his head. "I was only told that by some bitchy bartender. Like it held any merit in the first place."

Adrian nodded and the corner of his mouth stretched into a weary smile. Both men stood in deep contemplation, the previous nights events lingered in their mind like a candle in a dark room, illuminating the possibilities that the incident had provoked. It didn't seem like an intelligent idea to leave the comfort and safety of the Pokemon Center when death could be at any corner. Still, the strife of the trainer is to constantly improve, because if they didn't, death was their only consequence. They almost unanimously came to the conclusion that an answer would come in time. Time better utilized as a method to garner strength. At that moment of realization, they locked eyes, a mutual sense of the need to push forward wordlessly communicated.

Zach took Leo's pokeball in his hand, and began to roll it between his fingers with an evidently practiced grace. Images of his time with the leafeon gave him the source material required to conceptualize a proper training regiment for Riley.

Amy entered the room, disturbing the thoughtful silence. Behind her was a large man, with weathered eyes that could have projected his experiences. Long nights standing over a dying pokemon, or even a man. Likely he had many experiences similar to last night, where he spent the better part of his early evening filling Adrian with antidotes.

He crossed his arms, his white lab coat flowing forward as he did so. "Well, Ranger Mitsugi. Your wife has expressed her concern, and your lack of time. Since I am satisfied with your current condition you're free to go," he said with a slight nod. Then he raised his head. "Take it easy for a while. You might find your lungs won't be as efficient as your used to for a few days."

Adrian returned the nod. "Thanks, doc. Any idea how many days that might be?"

The doctor shook his head. "The pokemon that hit you isn't native to Johto. We have no idea how the bacteria works. You're lucky that our medicine could work with the strain."

__'Luck. It's always luck. We can't rely on that,'__ Zach thought as he stood back from the bed and into a dark corner of the room, reducing his presence as he listened with crossed arms.

The doctor gave Adrian further advice, to which Amy corrected or otherwise agreed to. They pulled the IV's out of his arm, and they found themselves in the Pokemon Center's lobby in a matter of minutes.

They ate their breakfast, a simple assortment of food produced locally. Regardless of their rush to get to the next step, humans and pokemon required food.

Their pokemon sat beside them on the floor, eating their own food. Their trainers noticed the glances the animals gave each other, mostly between Leo and Quen. Mutual respect was seen but the tension in their muscles showed that they would need to still become properly acquainted. Riley regarded the quilava with curiosity. Inching closer to the weasel before he received a threatening snort. Zach was impressed with the speed in which he retreated behind Leo. Of all the pokemon Elm could have given him, he seemed to pick the perfect compliment to his leafeon.

"Should we stop by the barracks first?" Amy suggested as she did up the final strap on her body armour.

Adrian shook his head. "I'd really like to get this out of the way. Training is priority," he said as the group walked for the front doors.

They stepped into the early morning sun, staying vigilant as they walked towards the field Adrian had mentioned. They walked in the center of the road, keeping away from the alleys and focusing on the actions of those around them.

SC

Zach stood with his hands on his waste, scanning the bouldered field. He saw a single tree, and many rocks that made urban development on the terrain difficult. On the other end was a section of the towering wall that surrounded the modest city, and to their west was the distant sapphire glow of Beurama Bay. Both hosted threats, both in nature and technology.

Adrian thought the same as he stared out into the salty bay, a sense of trepidation building in his gut. "Zach?" he addressed, his gaze still fixed on the water. "Before he start, please tell me Cianwood isn't being directed by your country's military." His tone was dark, but hopeful.

Zach too had pondered that notion, but he dismissed the concept. "No, Sinnoh would never attack Indigo. It's antithetical to the prosperity of the country. I think we're dealing with small groups," he ensured as he walked onto the field, reaching for Riley's pokeball. The rodent coalesced and scanned the rocks and the grass. He looked back to Zach, his ears perking. His trainer took him in his hands, and gave Adrian a reassuring smile. "I doubt this is a full scale thing. Simply irritated separatists who want to be under the sovereignty of Sinnoh."

Adrian responded with a grin, reaching for his skarmory's pokeball. "You sure?"

Zach nodded. "If Sinnoh tried to take over Johto by force, it would disrupt trade to Hoenn, Orre, and The Orange Isles. I can imagine all three countries combined wouldn't be worth the economic strain that war would put on Sinnoh."

Adrian sighed in modest relief, his troubled gaze still watching over the bay. He could see them, the ships appeared as specs against the distant coast of route thirty two. They would have shone if the sun had hit them right, displaying their location like a beacon. That was the intention, to be seen.

The ranger stroked his chin thoughtfully as he looked down to Quen then to Amy. "Watch her," he ordered as he walked further into the field. He opened the pokeball taken from his belt, and the small skarmory formed. His head rose slowly, blankly taking in his surroundings. When his eyes fell on Adrian, his muscles tensed, but he remained still.

The hours passed, and the shadows grew shorter as the sun peaked in the sky. Zach and Riley had spent the better part of the past hour learning how to read each other. Zach had decided on a series of hand gestures and positions for the pichu to become familiar with. In the two hours they had trained, Riley had come no closer in understanding any of them. Throughout Zach had made sure to allow the pokemon small, but frequent discharges as recommended by Amy. For this he threw a rock, and it was up to Riley to hit it. They had no luck, as the lightening would arc towards the branches of the near-by tree.

Adrian sat on the ground, his chin on his knees and his dark eyes scanning his skarmory. The bird stood in front of him, observing the surrounding area. Adrian had focused on becoming acquainted with his new addition, and as a result left the two in their silent position. He had observed his wings, although the metal had yet to harden, he knew the feathers would be like knives. They were large and developed otherwise, he assumed that the bird was capable of flight, but knew returning to the wild would be death for the chick.

The skarmory's attention snapped to Amy, who slowly approached behind her husband, Quen in toe. She knelt behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Have you thought of a name for him?"

Adrian simply shook his head, his features straight as he focused mainly on the pokemon's behaviour. Timid, but allowing. "No," he replied.

Amy smiled, admiring the elegance of the small bird. "It'll come. Just be patient."

Adrian scoffed. "I'm never good with names," he replied, feeling the gentle tightening of her hands on his shoulders.

Another hour passed, and Adrian had made little progress in getting the skarmory to approach him. He settled for what he had accomplished today, and returned the bird to his pokeball. He looked across the field, to find Zach and Leo by a tree. As he approached, he noticed Riley on a nearby rock, laying flat and watching the two with curiosity.

Zach waved an open palm vertically at the tree, and Leo bounded for it. The fox jumped at the trunk, and dug his claws into the bark before kicking off and landing a back flip. A low lying branch landed next to the leafeon, cut cleanly by his sharp tail. This was repeated before Adrian and Amy had crossed the field. They watched silently.

"Again," Zach ordered. "Higher this time." He cut his hand through the air again, this time raising his hand over his head. Leo repeated the maneuver, this time landing a hit on a higher branch.

Adrian cleared his throat. "As much as this interests me," Adrian said with genuine wonder. "We should get to the barracks before we attract too much attention here."

Zach simply nodded and recalled Riley, leaving Leo to stand silently with a heaving chest. "Good idea," he said before looking between the two with concern crossing his features. "Have either of you thought of any..." he asked, trailing off to leave the sentence open.

They both shook their heads, their disappointed expressions matching Zach's as they walked back towards the street.

"We shouldn't take the same route back," Adrian advised as he scanned the faces of the few people who passed. "I know another way. It takes us passed the barracks, and I'd like the thank Jennifer myself."

With that they left, Adrian returning Quen to her pokeball as obligated by law. He kept her ready, though. holding the capsule inside the sleeve of his jacket. They walked down the road, the western waters exposed to them as they walked adjacent to the docks. Zach watched with interest as the wingull flew over the boats. Some sitting in place in the air as their wings caught the wind, appearing to be attached to string. He had always admired the calm and nonthreatening species.

"Hey, Adrian. Wingull are invasive from Hoenn, right?" he inquired.

Adrian shot a glance at the birds before returning his attention to the rooftops and making sure Amy walked between the two trainers. "You want to talk about invasive species, Sinnoean? I'll take wingull over a houndoom any day," he said with a coy smile.

Zach turned from the birds with lightening speed, jumping at the opportunity to stand up for his native country. "Houndour came with the boats, which brought the settlers. Saying houndour are invasive is also putting your ancestors in that same light."

Adrian winked and scoffed amiably. "My parent's are from The Isles. I'm an exception thanks to my celtic heritage."

"Ah. So let's talk about snorlax then, shall we? I'd take a houndour over a snorlax, Islander." Zach returned with a smile.

Zach scoffed playfully, turning his head down the street before he felt a tug on his shoulder from Amy as she rushed him down the street. When he turned his head he found that Adrian had hurried forward, being unable to see his target through a group of passing people. His heart jumped into his throat at the concept of them running into another cultist in the middle of the day, and he feared what the ranger would do if they came across one that was unaware of them. He had only met the man two days ago, and didn't now what he was capable of.

He ordered Leo to run forward and watch Adrian, who would not have enough time for his quilava to coalesce if he was attacked. He grabbed Riley's pokeball as well, opting to keep him inside since the flash would draw unwanted attention like moths to a flame. The field assistant peered through the crowd, spotting the top of Adrian's head as Amy continued to pull Zach forward. For this, he didn't protest.

The crowd dispersed, and Amy stopped in her tracks. Zach as well stopped, tightening his grip on Riley's pokeball as be prepared to throw it. He would aim directly for the attacker's face, a trick he learned when he realized a pokeball weighed enough to break someone's jaw. Not to mention the animal that would form next to the stunned attacker.

Then he saw the face of Jennifer as she stood in front of the barracks and he relaxed. Leo wagged his tail and sniffed at the officer's feet. She looked happy, if exhausted. From their distance, they couldn't make out the exchange between Adrian and the officer over the droning of the populace, but when they shook hands he could get a fine idea of what they were talking about.

He smiled, but it faded when he noticed a particular urgency about her. She periodically glanced over the ranger's shoulder towards him as the two spoke. With this in mind, Zach felt no guilt in shortening their one-on-one time as he walked towards the two.

"You're serious?" Zach heard Adrian say over the crowd. The ranger turned to find his companions, and fully turned when he saw Zach's approach.

"I wouldn't joke about this," Jennifer replied with a tone of relief. She turned to Zach, folding her arms over her chest. Behind her, he noticed her large arcanine basking in the sun on a patch of grass, panting as she watched the many people pass by. "Zach, I made an arrest last night," she said, her eyes flaring with urgency. "It took all night to get the info out of him, but he let something slip about Violet City."

The field assistant stopped beside Adrian, shooting glances between the two law enforcement trainers. "You're kidding," he said in a tone of disbelief that matched Adrian's expression. "How did you get that?"

She cracked a smile, looking at Adrian, who had given her the exact same response. "A few minutes in the room alone with Lon made him spill."

"You didn't use your golduck?" Zach asked.

She shook her head. "The gym member was too busy keeping an eye on some Cianwood civilians. I couldn't get the clearance."

"All that matters is that you've given us something. Thank you for everything you've done for us," Adrian added with the largest grin Zach had seen the man host so far.

"Of course, yes," Zach hastily replied. "But how do we know he didn't lie to you, and Elm's in Cherrygrove?"

Jennifer smiled, her eyes softening as she leaned against the brick wall of the barracks. "We knew these guys have a headquarters in this city, and now we know where it is. We'll storm it and make the arrests tomorrow afternoon," she said with only enough volume for the three to hear her. "Send the barracks a telegram when you get to Rosemount, and we'll reply as to whither or not Elm was there. That way you won't have to waste the other three days it takes to get to Violet."

"Four days on the road? In the wilderness?" Zach remarked, a combination of excitement and caution blending with his accent. To the Johtans, his voice could have been enough to trigger laughter had his question not held such gravity. "I'll do it, of course, but if we die out there what good are we?"

"The barracks can spare some body armour for you guys," she said as she eyed Amy's current apparel. "It's not as high of grade as your ranger gear, but it's better than nothing." She pushed herself off the wall, and turned the Hyana, who perked her ears at her trainer's attention. "Oh!" she said as she spun around again. "Adrian. Do you have any weapons on you?"

Adrian shrugged, patting his pokeballs. "I have a baton, but for the most part these guys are my protection."

She lowered her head, her gaze almost scrutinizing the ranger. "I think we can spare a crossbow. You do know how to use one, right?"

The ranger nodded, glancing at his wife, who returned his gaze with a knowing smile. "I was one of the top sharpshooters in the trainer ranger's regiment."

"Good. You're going to be the field assistant's escort. I'll send a telegram to Violet City's gym about your first mission." Her eyes softened then, and she gave a platonic wink to the ranger. "I'll even put a good word in for you," the high ranking officer added.

"How long will this take? Procuring the armour and crossbow?" Zach added, hastily stepping forward. "I'd like to get to Rosemount as soon as possible."

Jennifer nodded, then turned and patted the field assistant on the shoulder as she sighed. "It'll take a while. You're better off leaving tomorrow morning. Unless you want to get caught out in the wilderness at night. Pokemon aren't the only threats out there, you know."

Zach grunted in annoyance. It wasn't preferable, and it would require all of Zach's patience to not leave Cherrygrove that afternoon, but it was a six hour trip to Rosemount, and he had heard of the local wildlife hosting more than pokemon. As many of the weaker species slept at night, other nocturnal creatures prowled the shadows. He knew he had to wait, as having ordinance and armour would improve their odds. He crossed his arms and sighed impatiently.

She smiled and returned Hyata before signaling for the group to follow her into the barracks. "I was just on my way to the Pokemon Center to tell you guys the news," she said.

The room looked different in the light of the day, and held itself to the title of a barracks. Among the chipped tiled floors and cracked drywall where iron bars that sealed off any hallway unless someone had the proper key. The staircase was open, but only because of an armed man who watched the lobby with cold eyes.

"I was on my way to the Pokemon Centre to tell you guys myself, so this saves me a lot of time," she said as she gestured to a wooden bench for the three to sit and wait on. "I need to fill out some forms to give you the armour and crossbow, but it won't take long." She gave the pouting field a assistant a comforting smile as he sat. "Just hang on."

Zach nodded with a grunt as Jennifer turned to leave, his eyes falling on a single long crack in the tiles once she was out of sight.

Amy cocked an eyebrow at Zach. "I thought you'd be happier," she said in an almost scolding tone. "This is the best news we've gotten so far. We have some sort of direction."

Zach slumped in his seat, his arms folded and his absent gaze focused on the floor. "I'm ecstatic, Amy, but I don't want to wait till tomorrow to leave," he mumbled. He rose one of his hands, allowing the nurse to observe how it shook, trembling as though the professor was on the other end of the room, and he was tied to his chair. "This is the worst thing I've ever endured in this line of work, and all I want is for it to be over and him to be safe. A lot rides on me in my career."

Adrian leaned forward, observing the fire in his friend's hazel eyes, and the somber expression on his face. "When we get there you can rush all ya' want, but remember we need a good pace and caution if we're gonna actually live to see the city."

Zach nodded, and he absently continued to stare at the floor.

Half an hour had passed, and Amy had since closed her eyes and fallen asleep on Adrian's shoulder. The ranger himself endured the discomfort of having her armour jab into his arm as he attentively watched the front door. A single car slowly droned passed the barracks, a rare sight in Cherrygrove. As he listened the the loud humming of the electric engine soften as it grew further away, so did he begin to listen to the conversations between the guards, and their superior officers. Many mentioned Jennifer, who had apparently held a higher rank than he thought. She was evidently not a guard, but an officer. Specialized trainers in charge of investigating conflicts within a city.

To Adrian, who had a well defined perspective of what that meant in law enforcement, she was a source of inspiration. A trainer who had decided to become an essential part of a town's security and special task force at the end of her journey.

He wanted to go for the highest honour a ranger can achieve, and he envied her.

The sun reached a new position in the sky, and Adrian had noticed that Zach had too fallen asleep. He was slumped in his chair, and his brow still furrowed in the restful state. He recalled watching him train his pokemon, it was no wonder Elm had wanted him as an employee. The researcher's leafeon seemed to be stronger than even Quen, who had charged through a stampede of dodrio to get to her trainer as a cyndaquil. He'd need to be at Zach and Leo's level if he wanted to steadily progress in his career. He had plenty of envy to hand out. That was his inspiration.

He was thrown out of his reverie when a black mass was thrust into his field of vision, reflexively recoiling as his thoughts returned to the black sludge that almost killed him the previous night. When he finally made sense of the source, fear was replaced with interest as Jennifer stood before him with a matte crossbow in her hands.

"Be smart about how you use this," she said, glancing at Amy as the nurse stirred awake. "I want to take this afternoon to make sure you're proficient with it."

Flashes of memories from his training had come to him as he recalled the technique and components required to work the weapon properly. "Of course," he replied, his ton serious. He looked at his wife, who slowly blinked and cast her gaze around the room after her husband's jolt had awoken her. "Hey, Amy," he addressed. "Can you take Zach to the shops for some pokeballs and food rations?"

"Yeah, sure," she said quietly, clearing her throat and patting Zach on the shoulder. She stood, rolling her shoulders and fidgeting with the collar of her shirt.

The field assistant awoke, his eyes flashing open with instant alertness. When he realized it was time to move, he took a deep breath and stood, garnering the attention of his loyal pokemon. "What's going on?" he asked wearily.

Adrian stood with them. "I'm gonna do some drills with Jennifer. You and Amy get some supplies for the road in the meantime."

Zach nodded and looked to Amy, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Lead the way," he mumbled tiredly.

"Just come back here and ask for Officer Itsuni and Ranger Mitsugi," the officer stated before the two walked out the door.

SC

By the time they returned, the sun had begun to settle over the bay, and the people began to filter out of the streets. The two were directed to a field behind the barracks, where Adrian and Jennifer had spent their time honing the ranger's aim and speed. The crossbow itself was pneumatic, and it held multiple bolts at a time, but it still required him to manually pull the string back before the bolt rose into the closed barrel of the weapon. This was done by a pin on the side of the crossbow, reminding Zach much of the same loading method used by rifles. This was quieter, however, and packed less of a punch than a gun.

Adrian pulled the trigger, and the string flung forward. The bolt flew out of the chamber, and sailed like a small missile into one of the targets. With a satisfying thud, it connected with the wood, protruding from a section not far from the center. He lowered the weapon slowly, observing his work as he pulled back the bolt. The action looked straining and arduous, but the rangers well trained muscles carried out the task with ease. Behind him, his quilava laid on the ground, her red eyes watching Amy and Zach approach.

In order to attract her husband's attention, Amy held up a small paper bag and jingled it. Within it rattled the four pokeballs she had purchased, their metallic clanging catching the attention of Jennifer.

The officer's expression turned from stern to welcoming as she caught sight of the two young professionals, and she looked back down the range. "He's good," she admitted. "His reload speed could use some work, but the first shot should give him enough time."

Adrian chuckled as he aimed down the sights of the weapon, pulling the trigger and sending another bolt into the target. Hitting close to where the latest bolt had struck. "I think my grouping is fine."

Jennifer shook her head. "I never said it wasn't. Just work on your speed," she said as she left his side and approached the other two. She threw her hands out to her side, shrugging as she casually walked. "Considering you both have strong pokemon, body armour, and a crossbow; I think you're more than prepared to defend yourselves."

Zach nodded, and held up his own bag. "I procured some raincoats and a backpack. The satchel can't hold much, and I lost my bag in the attack," he said as he looked over Jennifer's shoulder to the well focused ranger. "I also bought myself a sleeping bag," he added.

Amy nodded. "Sleeping bags, medical supplies, flashlights, and pokeballs," she listed. "I think we're set."

There was a long pause when Adrian fired another bolt. Jennifer half turned to watch the shot, her arms folded over her chest. Her expression became stern again, and she looked back to the two. "I made arrangements for you three to sleep at the barracks tonight. You'll be safer there," she said. "And before you ask it's because I need to keep an eye on the hotel for the next couple of days. That man I arrested was caught trying to burn the building down."

"What?" Amy breathed as she stepped forward, her face in shock with wide eyes and a hung mouth.

"They would go that far?" Zach asked as his voice peaked. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. His eyes flared. "Where's the man you arrested? I'd like a word," he requested as he attempted to regain his briefly lost composure.

Jennifer looked to the ground, then back to Zach. "He's dead," she said coldly.

Zach's eyes widened, and he dropped the bags he held. Amy closed her eyes in response, knowing more abut life on the frontier than the Sinnoean.

"He was executed for his attempted crime."

Zach took a deep, shaking breath, and turned on his heels to leave the scene.

"Zach," Amy called after him, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her pursuance. With surprise, she turned to see Jennifer watching him.

"Just give him a moment."

His steps were hard, and he vied to maintain calm breaths. Through his mind he cast images of fire, and emulated the screams of those who would have perished because of these men. He stopped as he emerged from the alley onto a large empty lot, tears of anger finding their way down his red cheeks as he began to consider that he was to blame. The man wanted him dead, and to go through such lengths to do so was beyond Zach's reasoning. He felt the familiar tug of guilt on his mind as he considered the possibility that no one was safe around him. In his mind, it wasn't the cultists who had almost killed those people, it was him.

He felt a nudge on his knee, and looked down to find Leo looking up at him. The pokemon's large eyes pouted, scanning his features with calculation. The leafeon let out a quiet whimper as he pawed at Zach's boot, his ears falling back.

Zach sniffed before he knelt to meet the fox's gaze, and began to run his shaking hand through the rough fur on the pokemon's head. He found same impression of the comfort he felt when he pet his friend's fur fifteen years ago in Eterna Forest, but it was different this time. He never blamed himself for the loss of his father, and the current situation felt like a new hell. He closed his eyes and placed his chin on the top of the leafeon's head. Allowing a couple of quiet tears to run onto the grass-type's fur. Leo placed his muzzle on Zach's shoulder, quietly comforting his life long partner.

They remained in that position for some time, the evening's twilight casting a warm orange hue over the clouds that drifted in from the southern ocean. "Leo..." he said quietly.. "How can I- we..." He stopped to take a deep breath. "How can we protect if we are the cause of harm?"

Leo removed himself from the hug, and stared at his trainer with a silent dignity. His tailed lifted over his head an uncurled in a show of strength. His eyes were that of a confident and strong companion, one willing to fight till his very last breath.

Zach sniffled, but a small smile crossed his features. "That's the reason we're in this mess, because we tried to fight back," he said in a weak, but genial tone.

"I think he's suggesting that we take the fight to them," he heard Adrian's voice call from the alley.

Zach stood and turned, looking over his shoulder to the ranger, who stood with Quen winding around his legs.

"How about we kick every single one of their asses, and drive them out of Johto? How about we take them out slowly, and get in their way at every turn? Face it, The people aren't safe whither or not you were in their way, and if not the hotel then what would they have done? What it is they want, I don't care. I just want to see them pay," Adrian said in a straight tone, his eyes filled with contempt and his features rugged. "And them takin' Elm is their biggest dept." He began to walk toward Zach, Quen remaining close at his heels, until he stood three feet from the field assistant.

"Me wanting to find Elm is what put them at ri-"

"Does that matter? Like I said the people aren't safe from this cult, Zachary Pine or not. Hell, no one was killed because you put one of the greatest officers in the city on high alert. Shit, I'd call that doing more harm than good," he said as his arms crossed over his chest.

Zach's mouth twisted under a frown, and his red eyes tightened. "The reason she stayed is because you almost died."

"Semantics. Everything you did led up to this single arrest, and now we have something to go on. I'm still here, that hotel is still standing, and what are you doing? Crying because of something that __might__ have happened. Let me tell you this, Pine, death is as much a part of life out here as the events experienced before it. You can't dwell on what you might have lost, and enjoy what you have." He extended his hand out to his friend, a confident smile crossing his features. "We're about to hit them twice, and if Elm is in Violet City, then this is all over." Adrian smiled and nodded his head before extending his hand out to Zach.

"Elm, yeah," Zach replied absently. "Yeah..."

Adrian flicked the wrist of the hand he held out to Zach, raising an eyebrow at the field assistant. "Elm gave me Quen. I owe my career, and lively hood to him. I got your back through this, and I expect the same from you."

Zach blinked. "Yeah," he repeated. "Yes, we'll be their penance." A weak smile showed through his regret, but the vigor with which he slapped his hand into Adrian's was more than enough for the ranger to see heightened morale.

They shook hands. "They won't be seeing us in hell," Adrian said with a grin.

SC

The next day greeted them with endless possibilities, and by the next night the tribulations of Cherrygrove would be over. The people would be rid of the black spot, and their only worry would be a tense political stand off with Cianwood, but the most immediate threat would be gone. On top of this Zach took comfort in the concept that Elm might be found during the raid, and his trip to Violet City would be cut short.

But he took very little stock in that notion.

They stood at the northern gates of the city, a casually dressed Jennifer sending them off with her attentive golduck at her side and psychically searching for threats. The contingent stood equipped and armed, their body armour falling over their clothes like a thick shell.

"We'll send word to you tonight," Jennifer said. "If we find Elm, come back to Cherrygrove the next morning, if not then you can set out for Violet City. Just stay the night in Rosemount, I don't want you guys dying before you get to the city," she said with a smile.

Adjusting the strap of the crossbow, Adrian shrugged. "Me and Amy made this trip a few days ago. It's not that bad."

"Still," Jennifer retorted. "The wildlife isn't your only threat this time. With that said you should get going if you want to get to Rosemount at a good time. I'm sure you're wanting to get a move on, Zach," she said with a wink.

Fidgeting with the straps of his armour, Zach nodded. "With haste if we can."

"I won't keep you then, good luck," Jennifer said with a salute. "I need to get ready for the raid. I'll tell you how it goes. This is the beginning of their downfall." She turned, but stopped. "Oh yeah, once I can get some paperwork done, I'll drive to Violet City to help. Maybe we can get some assistance from the gym, or at the very least Sprout's Tower. Last I heard Elm was in good with them."

Their thanks were exchanged, and the group moved through the gates, passing the guard and setting out into the open wilderness of route thirty. Zach's armour was new to him, and he new he needed to get used to it, but he had more important things on his mind. For the only thing that stood between him and saving his boss was the four day trip to Violet City, where they would only stop for correspondence with Mr. Pokemon, and to build the power of their youngest pokemon.

They walked down the road, the morning sun casting its light over their path, and basking Cherrygrove in a day that would be filled with salvation.

* * *

**The first arc is finished. I wasn't expecting it to take as many chapters as it did.**

**Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. Thank you to those who have followed, reviewed, and favourited **


	8. Headway

Eterna City

The air in Eterna City was calm, in the days before summer, the city found itself in a peaceful and invigorating warmth. For the people of Sinnoh, the months after the winter were the most welcomed. It was lively, and people moved down the sidewalks as slow moving automobiles buzzed by. It was the oldest city in Sinnoh, and in its thousands of years of progress, it never stood still.

Within the white walls of the two story laboratory, that was tucked away in the cramped and bustling downtown section of the city, this meant a surge of productivity. The atmosphere around professor Rowan's office was one filled with the sounds of activity. From inside his lavish and sparsely decorated space, the constant murmur of conversation and the ringing of telephones was his only companion as he silently perused over the documents left on his desk that morning. He enjoyed the solitude. Which is why he frowned when there was a knocking on his door.

Before he could lift his head to welcome the interrupter in, the door had already opened and his granddaughter stood in the open doorway, allowing the sounds of the lab to enter the room unhindered. Her deep blue eyes were filled with questions, which was her inclination regardless of the situation.

"Grandpa?" she addressed, her fingers lingering eagerly over the door frame.

"Yes, Dawn? What is it?" Rowan answered as he attempted to mask his mild irritation.

"I wanted to leave early, is that ok with you?"

"What for?"

Her eyes fell onto the wood floor, scanning the smooth polished oak. "I want to visit Lucas, but the asylum's visiting hours always end before I get off work."

Rowan's eyes lit up, and he cleared his throat. "Oh. By all means, yes. Please give him my best as well."

She absently smiled as she stared at the floor.

"Something's wrong, Dawn. Please," he said as he invited her to hit in the chair opposite him.

She glanced up, but remained where she stood. "I have a lot of worry to pass around. I haven't heard from Zach since he left, and now Lucas is starting to relapse. He was showing progress the last time I spoke with him. It feels weird not being able to pull either of them out of trouble," she admitted with a wincing smile.

Rowan nodded. "Zach's fine, dear. I can't think of anything that could go wrong for him," he said with a comforting smile. "I know this might be hard to hear, but he doesn't need your help anymore. He's grown a lot. Lucas, on the other hand... I think he could use a good friend for support right about now. You should be off to see him if you want to get there in time."

Her eyes flashed with urgency. "Of course. Thanks, grandpa," she said as she turned to remove herself, but she stopped, with a hand resting tentatively on the door frame. She closed her eyes and spun around with another wincing smile. "I'll need a ride."

Rowan sighed, but it was genial. "Feel free to take my car, Dawn. Just return it to the lab."

Dawn's eyes shone. "Again, thank you," she said. Her smile become genuine as she turned to leave the room. "I love you."

"I love you too, Dawn," he said with a nod. "Now get going."

The room once again became docile with her absence, leaving Rowan in silent contemplation about the conversation. He tapped his fingers on his desk as his eyes fluttered over the words on the various documents; his research, his finances, and the various legal documents he was required to sign before tests could be administered. He sighed as he began to wonder how Dawn would be able to take all of these various tasks under her own wing.

His concentration was broken when his computer sprung to life with the arrival of a new email. He grunted with curiosity, and brought up the mail. When he read the message, his brow furrowed, and the sensation of guilt grew in his chest.

__Tic Toc, Professor. The wheel still turns and you're running out of power.__

The professor closed the email and the window shrunk against the blank wallpaper on the desktop, but another message came op.

__Tic Toc, Professor. The well runs dry.__

He grunted again, this time in annoyance. Rowan clicked to reply, and his fingers flew over the keyboard.

SC

Johto

Slumping against a tree on the side of the road, the field assistant rubbed his temples. The throbs came and went, and he found himself needing to grit his teeth less as the unbearable pain began to recede. Blind to the world, the only thing he knew for certain was the presence of his friends standing around him, and Riley's cold nose pressing against his cheek as the rodent eagerly sniffed at his pained trainer who groaned with discomfort.

"Zach?" Amy cautioned as she reached for her water canteen.

He simply shook his head. "I'm fine," he muttered as he rotated his fingers on his temple.

"You really need to relax, man," Adrian said with crossed arms. He glanced out onto the open field that the group was about to enter, and he heard the sounds of ruffling leaves as Quen patrolled through the thinning bushes."I know this is stressful, but remember to take it easy."

Zach shook his head again as he slowly opened his eyes, peering at the feet of the couple. "I get frequent migraines. Ever since I was a kid. Elm or not, I'd still be suffering them," he said with a strained smile. The bumping in the side of his head faded more, just as it had began to slip in a minute prior. "They only stay for a minute or two, then it's gone."

"Weird," Amy mumbled as he released her grip on her backpack. "A migraine should at least last an hour."

Zach replied with a chuckle as he slowly pushed himself off the tree. "I had a friend back home tell me the same thing. Despite the medical tests, no one knows the cause," he said as he gave Leo a weary smile. The fox sat quietly, his eyes scanning the forest and his ears twisting in the direction of twigs snapping and birds leaving their perches.

"In any case, we should be at Rosemount within the hour. You'll have plenty of time to rest when we get there," Adrian said as he peered at his watch. "The town should be visible over the crest of that hill." he said as he pointed down route thirty's mountainous terrain.

"I wish. I still need to talk to Mr. Pokemon about Elm's document," Zach replied as he looked down at the beige satchel. "I wish I had an opportunity to look at it if it's that important," he mumbled.

Adrian laughed. "It's not like you're needed to proof read it or anything," he said as he shouldered the black crossbow and whistled for Quen, who erupted out of the bushes with the same vigor Zach remembered from the night they had met.

"Still," Zach replied as he felt the last remnants of pain recede like morning tides. "Curiosity is powerful."

He looked own the road before them as the remnants of his headache faded the same way they had snuck up on him. He placed his hand over the small mouse on his shoulder and nodded to the rest of the group to continue.

The day itself felt short to the group as they traveled north towards the small lumber village. The only sound to accompany them was the crunching of the dirt road under their feet, and the calls of birds and small pokemon. A curious group of small brown rodents had followed them, using their tails as a perch in which they could peer at the humans over the tall grass. The friendly pokemon elicited a smile from Amy, who had begun to anticipate where their long black ears would poke out next. It became a game for a time, but it ended abruptly when one had become too curious and got close enough to be chased off by Quen.

Amy sighed as she heard the rustling of the grass from the fleeing pokemon, shooting Quen a disapproving glance. Still, she knew the quilava's intentions were in the interest of their safety. She envied how relaxed Leo and Riley had been when the pokemon poked its head out of the grass. The nurse shot a glance at Adrian, who returned it with a knowing smile. For the rest of the trip, the quilava was directed to walk between the couple.

Zach himself had been restless for the entire trek through the field. Although a lot of it was open, the road still dipped through areas where the grass grew taller than him. As he was surrounded by the cloak of foliage, his eyes were in constant motion. Even Leo had become more aware during the brief periods that the group had become surrounded by the grass. Every moment they were not in the open, he had imagined a hooded figure appearing, or large fangs of the seviper that would have him dead to rights.

His trepidation came to an end when they reached the crest of a hill. A sense of relief and anticipation washed over Zach as he stared down at a group of buildings. A town surrounded by little more than a palisade on the exposed end of Rosemount. The town itself looked archaic, with most of the buildings being made of wood due to the nature of the lumber town, and a single large warehouse near the foot of the mountain. The town was busy despite the small population. It was known all citizens of the village were either workers at the lumber mills, fishermen, or guards. All except one scientist, and the very reason Zach eagerly stared at the largest house next to the warehouse.

The group hazarded a brief perusal of the route behind them before they began their hike towards a small tower that had been constructed into the wall beside the town's entrance. As they grew closer, the heads of the guards became more pronounced, and by the time they had reached the walls, Zach had counted five heads. Four sets of eyes watched the group approach through slits in the tower's walls, and another on the top stood with his crossbow ready. Beside him was a small black pokemon which looked uncomfortably eager to use its accurate ice-type attacks.

Adrian eyed the sneasel with a confident dare. During his training he learned from experience that the dark-type cats demanded others to give them a reason for respect, and their instincts drove them to respect the bold. When their eyes met, the sneasel bared its fangs at him, to which the ranger returned with maintained eye contact. Given the tamed nature of the cat-like animal, he felt it unnecessary to go further than a stare.

The three stopped, and Adrian broke his eye contract from the vicious pokemon in time to see a door open on the side of the small tower. The man who appeared was adorned in gray body armour and a pair of worn jeans. His hazel eyes scrutinized the group as they cautiously approached, and his hand rested near the machete he wore on his back.

Zach actually sighed in relief at the simplicity of an armed man without a pokemon. He had anticipated the guards to be more threatening in an unprotected settlement in the wilderness.

The guard then stomped his foot on the ground, and a large serpent erupted from the door in a purple blur before resting around its apparent trainer. The large snake rose its head, easily standing over the human with another four feet to spare on the ground. Its large fangs hung from its mouth, matching half the size of the machete its trainer wielded, and its eyes were sharp slits.

The entire group shifted uneasily at the sudden appearance of the monstrous snake, and Zach had found his relief utterly compromised. In a town where the wall was so meager, the guards had to compensate.

"Pokemon in their balls," the man demanded in a gruff tone, and his hand inched closer to the handle of his weapon. Behind him, the arbok elicited a gargling hiss.

Zach and Adrian shared an uncomfortable glance before reaching for their pokeballs. Adrian stepped in front of Amy before returning his growling quilava, all the while keeping a weary eye on the guard.

Zach returned Riley first, becoming irritated at the quiet hissing from the small mouse. His tendency to paralyze large snakes had been noted, and his trainer felt a respectful disapproval of the protective instincts of the baby pokemon. After Leo was returned, Zach too found himself standing beside Adrian, and in front of Amy. Though unlike Adrian, Zach was shaking.

"Now," the guard said as he moved his hand from the machete. "Are you's just passin' through?"

Adrian nodded, paying mind to the position of the graded ordnance on his back. "We're headed to Violet, just makin' a pit stop in Rosemount for the night, and pickin' up the next mornin'."

The guard's eyes narrowed, his weathered forehead wrinkling under the jet black bangs that stuck out from his blue bandanna. "It's only - " He checked his watch. "- three, and you guys are stoppin' for the night? Where are you stayin' then? Ain't any Pokemon Centers in this town."

Zach swallowed hard and released a quivering breath as he eyed the arbok. "W-we're here to see someone named Mr. Pokemon before we go further north," Zach informed in his best attempt at a calm cadence, clearing his throat halfway through to hide the subtle quivering. His thoughts reached back to the night on route twenty nine, and he imagined the arbok doing the same as the seviper, but with greater success.

The arbok lowered itself slightly, and the frills on the side of its head began to extend outward as its mouth opened, but the eager pokemon was discouraged from the gesture by a smack from its trainer. "Ay, keep yer head up and pay attention, ya damned killer. You'll make the kid piss himself," he scolded in a mocking tone. From inside the tower, the murmured laughs of the guards came. The guard himself shot a glance at the tower with a smug grin. "Alright, why the crossbow?"

Adrian nodded at the question, and fidgeted with the weapon. "Oh right." He cleared his throat. "I am Private Ranger Adrian Mitsugi of the Violet Region," he said as he gestured towards his companions. "This is Field Assistant Zachary Pine, and my wife, Nurse Amelia Mitsugi-Glenn. I'm escorting mister Pine north for some scientific mumbo jumbo." He shrugged, smiling at his ignorance of his friend's field. "Couldn't yell ya' what it's about, but it's got somethin' to do with your resident scientist."

The guard look a moment to glance between the faces of the group before nodding. "Hell, why not," he shrugged. "It's not like you'd live long if ya fucked around in this place." He patted his pokemon on the side, and the arbok lowered itself to the ground, flattening the grass beneath its flat head. He nodded towards the large house near the foot of the mountain. "Just stay out of trouble while yer here. Everyone here is a militia member, so yer always bein' watched. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Adrian replied as he cautioned a step forward.

As the group moved past the guard and his pokemon, Zach couldn't help but shiver with the idea of having his back to the known presence of a predator. Even as the guard slipped back into the tower with his pokemon behind him, the field assistant still felt those cold eyes on him. His thoughts wandered to lying helpless against a tree whilst a natural cousin of the species had filled him with unimaginable terror. For a moment, Zach felt himself uneasily checking his surroundings, having his back to an arbok did not bode well for his nerves, and he sensed the same inclination in his partners.

They passed through the open village, where the streets were of dirt and surrounded by the same emerald green which was present with the group their entire travel. The homes were sparse, but appeared strong. The materials of the village were wood and stone alike. Caution was in their very architecture. Zach had figured the idea behind having such a small village be so spaced out was that, in the event of a powerful wild pokemon entering, it was wise to give it as much space as possible.

He hadn't anticipated how quickly they would arrive at the front door of the town's largest and most structurally sound house. He was only thrown out of his reverie by the Adrian's knocking on the door, and a comforting nudge from Amy, who looked at him with a concerned smile. He gave her a nod as to indicate he was doing well.

Well enough to narrowly dodge the door as it flew open outwards, but not enough to give a proper introduction to the man who stood in the doorway.

A man who's dark eyes poked from under the brim of his blue safari hat, and pierced into the young field assistant with discerning calculation. Eyes that would appear tired at a first glance, but became more alive the longer one stared into them. His mouth was hidden beneath a bushy white mustache, only hiding the lips, but not going far enough to cover the furrow of his chin. With an elegant swiftness, he reached into the breast pocket of his blue vest, and grunted with dissatisfaction as he peered at his watch. His form was stiff, but graceful.

"You could have been faster," he muttered quickly. Despite the speed and volume, his words were clear and smooth. "The police said you left this morning."

Zach cleared this throat at the straight and expectant man, who's scrutinous eyes darted in his direction. He was taken aback by the sudden glare.

"We. Uh," the often well spoken man muttered.

"Well?"

He sucked in a deep breath, and shook his head with an embarrassed grin. "Forgive me," the field assistant spoke with an even tone. "I haven't been having the most advantageous week."

The man replied with a grunt as he pocketed his watch. "You and the rest of the world," he passed off. "You have something for me."

"Yes," Zach muttered as he reached into the beige satchel at his hip. He opened the top and filed through the loose papers before producing the bulky and dirty document. The field assistance winced at the gaudy state of the files, which were covered in mud and crumpled from Riley's perching. He handed it to the man with an uncomfortable smile.

The man took it with a wrinkled hand, glancing over the front page before grunting and shooting Zach a disapproving glance. He then flipped to the first page, nodding at the mention of his name, and turned to the next page. He nodded again and turned.

"Consider a dodrio for the future," he said as he sidestepped to unblock the door.

Zach nodded and stepped into the home of the scientist. His living room was tawdry and decorated with furniture that looked older than Zach himself. A deep crimson carpet occupied the majority of the floor, resting beneath an end table with framed pictures, one of which hosted a younger Mr. Pokemon standing next to a younger Sean Elm.

He appeared to be in his twenties with a full head of hair. Mr Pokemon had his hand resting proudly on his shoulder, and they smiled. In the older mans eyes was pride, and a sense of sanctuary.

That expression was gone from the elderly scientist who briskly walked through his living room with his arms behind his back. Zach followed.

"I imagine you're tired from the past few days. Jennifer has told me everything. Even the story of how Elm was taken under your supervision," he said with a condescending tone.

Zach felt his face grow warm with anger, but also shame. "Yeah..." he muttered in embarassment.

"He was paralyzed. He couldn't-" Amy began to say, but she was cut off when Mr. Pokemon had reached a bright white door, and spun around. The anger in his eyes stopped her as though that had a physical manipulation.

"The circumstances of how this problem came to be are irrelevant. What matters now is how we deal with it," he said coldly before looking to Zach. "For now all we can do is work on preservation. That is my purpose. Yours is to ensure the professor's safety. If he is still alive, can you do that?" he asked, his voice becoming more pressed and impatient.

Zach nodded, and he straightened himself. "Yes, sir."

Mr. Pokemon studied him intensely for a moment, then reached his hand out to the door knob. Without another word he led them down a set of stairs,and to a room where the walls had become cement, and plates of tungsten were over every window. When the scientist turned on the lights, the hitherto sparse lights gave way to the illumination of buzzing florescent tubes. The room was filled with machines, and their droning hums.

He led them between the rows of desks and tall white computers that Zach recognized as memory units. He acknowledged a red light on some of the numerous storage units, indicating their hard drives were full. These where monoliths containing information so vast that it would be impossible for one man to analyze all of it.

But Mr. Pokemon's job was in preservation, not analysis.

As Mr. Pokemon stopped, he cast his glance over the trio. "My job is to create a copy of this document. I have programs that Elm does not. I can create a digital copy of it, where one copy will be stored here, and another transported. Do you understand this?"

Zach nodded. "You have writing software," he simplified.

Mr. Pokemon returned the nod, and removed his hat before running his hand over his thinning gray hair. "I'll need your help to copy all of this before you leave tomorrow. We shouldn't waste any more time," he said as he turned to a set of computers that were positioned in the center of the room. "We have much work to do." He shot a narrow eyed glance at Zach. "Do you know what tonight will be?"

Zach lowered his head, his eyes filling with remorse. "My penance," he replied in a low tone.

"Exactly," the scientist said before looking up at Adrian and Amy. "You two may do as you wish, I have a guest bedroom on the second floor. Anything else is none of my concern."

Adrian shot Zach a pitiful glance. "Anywhere I can train?" he asked.

"Yes. My own backyard. I trained my pokemon there before age took them. You'll find it suitable for any drills or exercises."

Adrian nodded, and turned to leave for the stairs with Amy. While Zach and Mr. Pokemon made their way to the computers.

SC

The suns light dimmed over the village as it began its retreat over the horizon. In the subdued glow, Adrian sat by the water and overlooked the bay. He meditated as well as his wife's presence would allow him, staring intently at the ripples of orange sun that the water reflected. Amy was silent while her husband lost himself in his thoughts, only doing so much as resting her hand over his.

Adrian shifted, catching his wife's attention. "Arcturus," he said quietly, but fully.

"Hm?" Amy responded with interest.

"The skarmory," he smiled. "I think I'll call him Arcturus. After the star. He glows when the sun hits him just right."

Amy returned his smile "Him?"

Adrian simply nodded before returning his thoughts to his training session. "He finally got close enough for me to tell."

"How did you do that?" the curious nurse asked as she leaned in to be within his view.

Adrian's eyes softened, and he smiled proudly. "Target practice turned into me snaggin' a rabbit. After that it was as easy as feedin' him."

Amy leaned back to her resting position, and her eyes cast back to the distant mountains. Of all the ways to earn the trust of a carnivore, feeding it at a young age was by far the simplest and most effective method.

"Are you going to learn how to fly on him?" Amy asked after a few minutes of silence.

Adrian chuckled. "Nah. I think I wanna keep my legs," he said, imitating a chopping motion.

They shared a laugh, and continued to watch the sun dip beneath the horizon. When the shadows of the mountains reached the middle of the lake, Adrian suddenly snapped to attention.

From their right, they heard the distant coos and calls from a few younger members of the local population. Their calls were of joy, and a predisposition to enjoying what little life they had in the small village. Amy's brow furrowed though. The layers of the different voices became enigmatic, hiding the emotions through multitudes of ranging voices, but there as one overbearing theme to the tone, and that was of violence.

She slowly stood, her expression was anything but sanguine as she began to make out the shapes of silhouettes on the lakefront. Three larger figures stood around a small boy, who had been since knocked onto the ground. From the boy's side, the small figure of a rodent could be seen, and its hissing carried over the water.

Before Amy could take a step, her husband had moved past her with tense shoulders and clenched fists. On his back was the imprint of where his crossbow would be had he not left it at Mr. Pokemon's manor, but the pokeballs in his hand more than compensated.

The boy winced at the pain in his chest, feeling the ghost of the impact where his bully's boot had made its dark print on his yellow t-shirt. He looked over to find his baseball cap had fallen off his head, revealing the short strands of light brown hair which had become spotted with clumps of dirt.

"This is pathetic, Joseph," a man said with a tone of disappointment rising over the hissing of the boy's pokemon. "Yer rattata should be protectin' you. Instead it's just standing there. Where's its instinct?" He leaned over and reached for the purple rat, who recoiled at the intruding hand. The rattatta didn't even nip at the man's hand when he grabbed it by the fur between its shoulders and hoisted it to be eye level. The green eyes of the man looked into the scared red eyes of the young rodent before holding it at arms length.

Joseph attempted to regain his footing with sputtered protests to the handling of his pokemon, but he was silenced by the foot of a young boy with blond hair and green eyes. The boy grunted as he hit the ground hard enough to kick up some dust.

Their expressions were not cynical, nor maniacal as they watched the boy lay on the ground. They felt pity for him. The mood shifted at Joseph's pathetic display. At this moment, their masks were lifted. No one laughed, and the hollering stopped.

The thick silence in the air was broken by a quickly approaching series of barks. Two of the men turned their heads, their somber expressions turning to those of surprise and fear. They saw the shadow of a man approach, and a quilava bounding towards them like a mother protecting her injured young.

Two of the men broke into a run at the sight of the large weasel, disappearing into the closest group of houses like cats at the sight of a dog. The man in the middle, clad in black body armour and holding the rattata, remained. Even as the still barking Quen skidded to a stop between the young boy and himself, and at the sight of the fire that immediately billowed out of her pores like a volcano, he remained straight faced.

The two approached as one unit. Their faces twisted into a scowl of disapproval. He looked at the boy that now sat up behind the fire-type, and sighed.

"You need thick skin to live out here, Joey. This should be yer protection, not the reason for yer pain," he said as he regarded the pokemon in his hand. He released his grip on the rodent. As soon as it hit the ground, it immediately scampered to the boy, and behind the fiercely tense weasel. The man turned to leave, the setting sun catching off his pokeball as he turned.

"Hey!" Amy called out as they made their approach. "What are you doing?"

The man shook, and began to take a step before the intensity of the quilava's growling increased and the grass rustled under her feet as she took her own step forward.

"Damn Fire Spouts..." he muttered as he turned with crossed arms. "This doesn't concern either of you," he said with a firm and commanding voice.

"You got it wrong," Adrian remarked as he stopped just five feet away from the man. He held his hand out to Quen and whistled, which resulted in her immediate placation. "Private Ranger Adrian Mitsugi of Violet Region. This is my jurisdiction. So how about you tell me what the hell is going on?"

Amy moved over towards the boy. "Are you ok?" she asked in a motherly tone. The boy simply replied with a straight faced nod, his eyes never leaving the man that stood before him.

The man grunted, and gave Joey a small nod. "This is for his own good. He needs to be tougher if he's going to survive in this town. His pokemon isn't even capable of defending him from other people."

Adrian looked at the boy. "How old are you, bud?" he asked in a genial tone.

"Eight..." he replied.

"Eight," Adrian repeated as he looked back to the man. "I don't know about you, but I didn't even receive my first pokemon till I was sixteen. He has plenty of time."

The man's expression grew into a scowl. "You must have grown up in the city then. I don't know if you heard of it, ranger, but do you remember the ursaring that wandered into this town, killed ten people, and leveled two houses? Or were you too busy inside your walls?" he asked in a condescending growl.

Adrian's face grew into a dark frown. "My dad's pokemon helped kill it. I was still in New Bark teaching my cyndaquil how to run without tripping. At sixteen," he repeated. "This kid's eight. Give him a break."

The man scoffed. "He's one of the few people in this town with a pokemon. Even a rattata is better than nothing. He needs to learn that he needs to protect both himself and this town, if I need to beat the shit out of him to trigger his pokemon's killer instinct, than that's how far I'll go."

"Have you considered that it's a pet?" Amy snapped as she continued to rub the boy's back.

The man turned around again, looking at the two over his shoulder. "There is no room for pets here. If he wants a pet, he should get a cat," he said as he walked into the same direction his partners had fled.

"Hey!" Adrian shouted. "I'm not done with you!"

The man stopped, and looked at Adrian over his shoulder. "I outrank you, rookie," he said before he walked off towards the street.

Adrian's face grew red, and he found himself grinding his teeth at those words. His philosophies about what a guard should be where nothing like that man's, and it brought his blood to a boil. He took a step towards the man's route, but stopped himself.

"Adrian," Amy said in a softer tone. "Let's just get this boy home."

Adrian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What's your name, buddy?" he asked the boy as he forced a smile through his rage.

The boy stood, rubbing off as much dirt as he could from his clothes with Amy's help. His rattata nipped at his shoe, and looked up at him with sorrowful regret. "Joey," he croaked as he cleared his throat. "Thank you for helping me, sir."

At the sound of the address, Adrian's anger melted, feeling as though it literally slid off of him as a wash of pride implanted a smile on his face. "It was no problem," he said humbly. "Just call me Adrian, alright?"

Joey nodded, looking down at the little pokemon with a smile. "Richard's not always bad," he said as he looked over to his companion. "He wants me to be strong." The rattata squeaked, and ran towards the boy's blue and white baseball cap, returning it as a friend would return someones wallet. "I want to be too."

"There are better ways to do it," Adrian muttered.

"Where's your house? We can get you home safe and sound," Amy assured the boy.

The boy's eyes lit up, and he quickly pointed to a small wooden home that sat in a field with two other houses of the same material. Without a second of hesitation, the wayward boy led them across the dirt road.

"Me and Sneak are outside all day trying to get stronger, but sometimes he just wants to play," Joey said with a grin as he placed his hand on top of the rattata. Which sat on his shoulder. "Sometimes Richard quizzes me."

Adrian's eyebrows rose, and he expelled an exasperated breath. "How does he 'quiz' you?"

Joey's eyes fell to the ground, watching his feet as he took the first steps on the grass. "Just normal stuff. Like using his sneasel to fight Sneak. Or asking me questions. One day, I'll pass," he said with an optimistic glow in his eyes.

As the group neared his house, Joey stepped ahead of them and stopped. "I'll be ok now," he said with a bow.

With a large grin, Adrian patted the friendly rattata and looked down to the small boy. "Alright. Just remember to stand up for yourself. If you do that you and your rattata will be the best."

Joey's eyes lit up. "Do you really think so, sir? Sneak can be strong?"

Adrian nodded. "Top percent of all rattata," he said he he gave the boy a thumbs up. "That's where I want to see you next time we meet, ok?"

Joey grinned wide, the glimmer in his eyes reflecting in the sunset. "Top percent," he repeated. "No one will forget us."

"That's the spirit, never loss that. Now get home, Joey," Adrian ordered genially. "Don't worry your parents."

The boy mocked a salute to the ranger, and turned to the front door of his modest home with a skip in his step.

After the boy disappeared into his home, the couple turned and began to walk towards the road. Amy wrapped her arm around Adrian's and rested her head on his shoulder as they slowly walked.

"Top percentage?" she remarked. "Really?"

Adrian chuckled. "It's the best I could come up with. He seemed to like it."

Amy chuckled as well. "You'll be a good father."

SC

Of course Jennifer's telegraph held only the news he expected. The raid was successful, and the cells were filled with cultists, but Elm was not there. His travel north would have to continue, and he felt as though he had gone back to square one. '__Of course,'__ Zach had thought bitterly. '__That would just be easy. Can't. Have. That.'__

Now he sat in the large basement with a sour mood and less hope, but he remained focused on his task. Work had always been his escape. Zach's eyes strained to retain their focus on the computer monitor and his fingers had begun to become sore as they flew over the keyboard with familiar fluidity. For the many hours after the sunset, he and Mr. Pokemon had not spoken a word to each other. Their focus was in the pages.

The words we wrote made little sense to the field assistant, who had no opportunity to properly read Elm's research outside of behavioral patterns of the wildlife outside of New Bark. Regardless, he copied the pages verbatim, even down to the graphs. He did recognize one thing.

Patterns.

In the sketches of DNA, his sharp mind caught the similarities. The patterns were there, he knew that. The colours which mapped out different genetic codes and chromosomes decorated each helix as though a child had coloured them. If only the words made sense to him. This was the drawback of working for someone who was outside of his area of expertise. His job was simply security and research aid, which the field assistant felt he had failed on both regards.

In the wordless hours, the only sound to fill the room was the sound and buzzing of the many memory cores that filled the basement in rows, and the clicking of the keyboards and computer mice. The silence was hypnotizing to the city boy, who had always known the bustle of the city, and the fast pace of Rowan's lab.

These wordless hours came to an abrupt end when Mr. Pokemon had taken a long pause. From behind him, all Zach could hear is the shuffling of papers and muttering of the old scientist. That muttering stopped, and there was a long pause in his activity.

"Zachary," Mr. Pokemon said with an almost exasperated swiftness. "Please come here."

Zach turned his head. That was the first time that Mr. Pokemon had shown him even a sliver of kindness and the mannerism of a host. The chair creaked as he stood, and he slowly made his way to the older man.

"Zachary. This work. I can't describe it with words. Here, experience it. What do you know of genealogy?"

Zach simply shrugged.

"I expected as much. You're still new to his field. Look." He held up one of the pieces of paper. "What do you see?"

His eyes studied the sketched double helix's that covered a page. They appeared as columns winding from the top of the page to the bottom, sectioned off with graphs. "I see strands of pokemon DNA. What species is this?"

Mr. Pokemon shook his head. "This is a zigzagoon, a rodent native to Hoenn. Here, you can see the DNA of the father, but look at the mother."

Zach's gaze followed Mr. Pokemon's finger to a sketched strand. He cocked his eyebrow. The strand was different, with various sections of the sketch coloured in. He shrugged again. "Is the difference in the DNA simply the difference of gender?"

Mr. Pokemon shook his head. "Different species, Zachary," he said as the edges of a smile became visible from beneath his mustache. "This DNA strand is that of a sentret. Now look at their offspring. It is a perfect sentret. No mutations, no extra chromosomes. It is a perfectly healthy specimen. With a zigzagoon for a father," he said as he spun in his chair. "What can you tell me based on that information?"

Zach glanced at Mr. Pokemon's unnervingly excited gaze, and fixed himself back onto the page. "This..." he began has his mind clicked to the document's meaning. "This is cross breeding?"

Mr. Pokemon shook his head. "In a sense, yes, but not with the results one expects. This experiment was repeated twice, and he reported the pokemon to be healthy and happy with each other. Almost as though they were the same species that had evolved on the same continent. Almost as if they belonged in the same group."

"So... So Elm discovered that we can breed different pokemon... and." His eyes widened. "Legends... We can breed two different species, but the mother determines the species. With no mutations or negative effects." His mouth hung open. "Holy shit..."

"Holy shit indeed," Mr. Pokemon said with a chuckle. "This document isn't finished, but there is enough here for submission. What we're copying here is Elm's magnum opus. A discovery like this only comes once every few generations." His voice was now higher pitched, evident excitement building in his inclination."He even reported some of the offspring being precocious, and learning abilities the species otherwise doesn't require in the wild. It appears as though the father carries down known techniques through the genetic code. Their cellular memory taps into two different species instincts and intelligence."

"Isn't cellular memory's just a theory?" Zach asked as he took a step back and gazed at the plan white ceiling.

"It appears this proves that theory. Sean theorizes that the offspring learn the techniques through instincts that the father brings from his Akashic Records."

Zach nodded his head slowly as he continued to run over the same DNA sequence over and over again in his mind. Two species, one offspring with the abilities of both. "I'll assume what I was copying was his explanation on Akashic Records? Can you explain it further?"

Mr. Pokemon nodded. "Think of your DNA as a computer, holding vast amounts of data saved from the experiences of your ancestors, much like the memory cores in this room. Those are called your Akashic Records. Humans, pokemon, and other animals all have it," he exlained as he looked back down to the pages before him. "This needs to be submitted. Saving Elm can't be the end of your journey, Zach. I am in no way in any place to ask a favour of this magnitude, but this document needs to reach my grandson in Goldenrod," Mr. Pokemon said as he stood from his chair, looking at Zach with a youthful vigor. "He's the head researcher in the Indigo Leagues. William Rosauma."

"William Rosauma. In Goldenrod..." he paused as he conceptualized why he would undertake the task. To travel across an unknown country in the pursuit of advancement.

The field assistant had always been stubborn. Even when on the field with Dawn and Rowan, he would insist on taking a majority of the night watches, even despite the protests and attempted negotiations from Dawn herself. He never allowed the most dangerous part of the job fall on her. She was the sharpest mind Rowan had in his lab, besides Zach's own mother, but more importantly, she was his friend.

He had been called altruistic, but an altruistic man doesn't order his pokemon to kill. Even other pokemon. To be altruistic would mean to allow the wild pokemon to live at the sacrifice of his own well being, but his health was the reason Rowan remained alive on the field, and to sacrifice his own health would be to put Rowan in harms way. He never considered himself selfless because of this paradox.

But this opportunity. This would put his so called altruism and mulishness to their test. To travel through the wilds of an unknown country with only his unevolved pichu and his overworked leafeon for protection and companionship.

Of course his mind went to Adrian and Amy, but he could never ask that of them. They wanted to save Elm, and that was as far as he saw himself remaining with them. The rest of his journey would be his own responsibility, and the husband and wife could live the rest of their days, in peace, knowing that they saved the life of the most prominent figure in pokemon breeding.

The fact that he was considering leaving Adrian and Amy behind in Violet City to go to Goldenrod told him that he had reached his conclusion. He had his answer. Stubbornness and sticking his neck out for people. Just as he always had done.

He looked at the now wide eyed scientist, an expression that he might have not had for a long time. He was now the man Zach had seen in the photograph, a man of hope. A man who had known Sean Elm far longer than the young field assistant.

Zach sighed, scanning the sketches of DNA. He nodded. "Give me the address, and I'll see to it that William sees this."

* * *

**There we have it, a reason to explore the world further than Violet City. **


	9. The Path

Rosemount was silent, with little more than the thrum of birds in the air. The lake had given rise to a thin layer of early morning mist as the sun warmed the new day, spreading over the village. The dew on the grass felt cool on his fingers, his exhausted mind heeding to the fragments of light which reflected like diamonds. He blinked, closing his eyes and placing his hands on the back of his head as he laid on the cool grass. He felt the embrace of sleep take him over in Mr. Pokemon's backyard.

His wrists hurt, his eyes were sore, and his back had almost required the cold grass like an ice pack, but he had finished his task, and he had never been more deserving of a rest. A short one at least, for the constant pull of the professor's disappearance allowed no solace.

His unease fueled paranoia.

He heard the approaching sound of footsteps muffled by the grass. His bloodshot eyes opened, scanning the scene with their calculative hazel. His gaze focused on each tree, every piece of wooden obstacle used for training, and every large rock. There was no movement, no figures stalking him in the shadows cast by the eastern sun. Still, he sat up, his hand reaching for the bulking sphere under his jacket. He had been stalked before, he knew that silence wasn't inherent to safety.

Visions of his assailant in Cherrygrove entered his mind like an arrow, pricing his calm and quickening his heart. His hand tightened around the ball of his resting pokemon, the one who protected him as he protected his professor.

The ball caught the sun as he produced it, his eyes never leaving his surroundings as he positioned his thumb closer to the small tab on the side of the ball. He heard them again, the muffled sound of someones feet impacting the grass. It grew louder and more apparent, its source revealing itself to be behind him.

Tucking his legs beneath himself, Zach spun around, and positioned his thumb over the release mechanism of Leo's pokeball like the trigger on a crossbow. The thumb twitched as his heart raced with adrenaline, and his eyes were wide with both fright and unbreakable focus.

But as his eyes caught the source of the sound, every muscle in his body relaxed. The arrow of fear returned to its quiver, and he felt a warm wash of relief crawl over him. His heart fell to a restful beat, and he felt as though the world had been lifted off his shoulders as he saw Adrian looking down upon him with an amused grin and crossed arms. Quen appeared from behind him, snaking between his legs as she curiously sniffed at the panting field assistant.

"Uh. Hey, Zach. Good morning." Adrian remarked with an amused tone.

Zach shook his head as he looked to the ground with panted breath, his grip never loosening on the ball in his hand. He said nothing as his chest rose and fell.

"I told you yesterday. You gotta relax," the ranger said, his smile fading. "Man God be damned, how's Elm gonna be safe if you jump at every fly that lands on your hand?"

Zach took another deep breath, and rose slowly, giving the surrounding trees another quick scan. "I've been awake all night. So I'm a bit on edge," he said as he squeezed the spherical object in his hand.

"No kidding," Adrian shot back with a chuckle. "If you want to rest out here, you can. I'm gonna be trainin' Arcturus before we head out. Amy's still sleeping, so we might have another hour or two."

Zach wearily nodded his head and took a spot beneath a large tree, feeling the moist wood dampen his white t-shirt, and rested his head on the bark as he rose Leo's pokeball. "Would it be distracting if Leo was out? He needs to photosynthesize."

Adrian shook his head as he produced Arcturus' pokeball from his belt. "Not at all. One of you guys needs energy for the road," he jeered.

Zach replied to the joke with an absent grunt, and thumbed the release mechanism at the same time Adrian released his own pokemon. A few moments passed where Zach merely watched Arcturus and his trainer eagerly begin coordinating commands using his hands and different whistles, much like how the field assistant was training Riley, and what Leo had already known.

He watched them with mild interest until he slowly fell asleep with Leo's head on his lap.

SC

"So, what is your plan then?" Mr. Pokemon asked the group as they stood at the edge of town with Leo and Quen standing guard around them.

"Hopefully we'll get to the end of route thirty by tonight," Adrian answered as he fussed with the straps of his backpack and crossbow alike. "As per Jennifer's request, I'm gonna check up on the guards at the Dark Cave, see what supplies they need, and we'll make Violet City by Wednesday afternoon. Hopefully," he added as his thoughts wandered to the telegram he had received when he and his skarmory had finished their training, feeling no surprise at the request of the officer.

"Very good," Mr. Pokemon said as he turned to Zach, "And you?"

Zach stood straight as the scientist looked at him. His thoughts went to the digitally printed and more organized version of the incomplete document that sat in Elm's satchel. "Once we arrive at Violet City, I'll send word to you so you can notify Jennifer. Hopefully she knows of a good place to begin looking. I can only imagine that finding Professor Elm in such a large city won't be simple."

Mr. Pokemon nodded as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, keeping one arm behind his back in a manner much like Rowan had used when speaking to the field assistant. "Not easy indeed. Much more difficult if word got to them about the raid in Cherrygrove. All we can do is hope that Sean has been kept in the city. I know people, I can send word for members of the Violet City Gym to meet you at the gates. Maybe speaking to either Augustus or his son will be useful in getting your search started."

Amy glanced between her companions before speaking up in a low and almost intimidated tone. "I suppose they haven't asked for ransom of any kind?" she suggested.

Mr. Pokemon shook his head. "Nothing of the sort. I'm afraid there has been no indication as to why Sean has been kidnapped. Regardless, this falls on all of us. And you, Zach, I am sorry to call you Atlas in this time."

Zach nodded as his glance led to Leo, who's ears twitched with the ubiquitous sounds of both the town and the birds. "I feel that weight. I thought about what you said to me last night, and I feel responsible for all of this."

"Never let that show, and gods be damned if you allow it to distract you," the old man replied with a deep and even tone.

"Yes, sir."

"You've dealt with this sort of thing before, haven't you? I remember Sean telling me about you, you know. Rowan had been kidnapped as well?"

Zach's eyes lit up as he was taken aback by the sudden knowledge of his past, but he maintained his formal posture and straight expression. "Yes. A few years ago, but that was resolved in a matter of hours."

Mr. Pokemon then rose his head, and his dark and often scrutinizing eyes had turned to accepting and encouraging. "Then you know this is simply the course of the world, the best we can do is correct the flow. I apologize for being short with you. The next time you and Sean find yourselves in Rosemount, I would like to hear that story. Now please, he grows no safer the longer we stand here. I'll coordinate with the Gym and Jennifer. It's likely she'll want to come to Violet to assist you. Congruence will be our greatest tool."

"That sounds good to me," Adrian interjected. "Now, can us fine folks get going? I know of a professor who would love to be back with his family."

Zach winced as thoughts of Elm's wife entered his mind. He remembered the look in her eyes. Deep sapphire that were full of life and joy, a spirit who brought a smile to anyone in the room. Now his mind's eye had shifted to accommodate the recent tribulations, and he felt a rise of guilt as he imagined those eyes dull and full of fear, and blame for the man who was meant to protect her husband.

"One last thing, Zachary. I can't say this theory holds merit, but it was too convenient that they knew where you would be camping that night. You were close to the sensors that fed locational info to Sean's laboratory. Be careful who you consider a friend."

There was a long pause, and both of the professor's associates shared a long and congruous stare. There was silent recognition of Mr. Pokemon's suspicions.

"Yeah..." he said as the image of Elm's wife stuck in his mind. "Can you do me a favour? Can you ask Jennifer to check on the professor's family? They should be in Cherrygrove with his father-in-law."

Mr. Pokemon nodded. "Of course, It's hard to imagine what she and their son are going through."

Zach nodded, and they shared a firm handshake before he turned to face the emerald grass that stretched across the plain before yielding to a line of trees. The group departed and moved down the path, allowing the sounds of the lumber town to fall behind them.

They followed the wires that hung overhead from wooden poles, connecting Violet City to the smaller settlements. Through those wires, Zach knew that Mr. Pokemon was working on getting them something similar to a warm welcome to the biggest city on the frontier, and hopefully a lead on cultist activity in the city.

A few hours passed, and Adrian stopped the group where the trees dominated the path and towered over them. He looked at Amy, who silently nodded and looked to Zach.

"For the rest of the day, keep your eyes on the trees, and keep Leo away from the bushes," Adrian warned with stern consternation.

Zach glanced at Leo, who's ears perked at his trainer's attention. "Why's that?"

"Weedle," Amy answered as she stared deep into the shadows of the forest. "They're poison type, and very aggressive."

Zach cocked his eyebrow. "Fair enough, the type disadvantage is a good reason, but why did you have to stop to tell me this?" he asked, noting the expression on his friend's faces.

Amy cleared her throat. "Their poison is considered one of the worst ways a pokemon can kill you," she said as her attention broke from the trees the the field assistant. "It compromises the structural integrity of your organs, and they liquefy while you're still alive."

Zach swallowed hard as he too looked deep into the trees.

"We'll be fine so long as we stay on the path, but I'll keep Arcturus ready," Adrian said.

"Yeah..." Zach absently agreed as he continued his stare into the shadows of the treeline. The brush was thin, and it afforded plenty of sunlight through the canopy, but the danger was still there, and it did little to comfort the field assistant. "We should..." he began to suggest, but was cut off by the sudden growling of Quen. He followed the quilava's gaze behind him, and spotted a fast approaching figure down the road.

As the figure grew closer, the details became more pronounced. It didn't take long for the sharp eyes of the survivalist to pick up a large three-headed bird, on top of which was an armoured man. The bird itself was clad in a leather saddle, the reins of which were attached to the birds outermost heads. From beneath the saddle where small wings which were stretched outwards as the tall pokemon ran at an astounding speed. Carrying a man that Adrian, unfortunately, recognized.

"Ho-oh's ass..." Adrian swore as he acknowledged the man from the day before. "What does he want now?"

The distance between them closed, and the dodrio skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust, that flew over the group, and squawked uncomfortably at the intimidating fire-type.

"Whoa, whoa!" the guard shouted to his pokemon, who stomped and beckoned threateningly to the travelers. "Easy, girl!" He shifted in his saddle, placating the bird with a few strokes of the central neck.

The dodrio stood an impressive six and a half feet, with two powerful and long legs holding the weight of its passenger. The necks of the three headed bird converged into a single vertebrae before disappearing under a mass of brown feathers that covered its long and bulky body. Zach found himself staring at the bird in amazement, bearing witness to the odd and unfamiliar pokemon.

"What the hell do you want?" Amy beckoned over the collective growling of their pokemon as she wiped the dirt off of her armour.

The guard cleared his throat as he glanced at the still growling quilava. "I, uh..." he said with an almost nervous inclination. "I wanted to apologize. Joey's a good kid, I just wanna see him make it out here."

Adrian crossed his arms. "You came all the way out here just to apologize?" he asked incredulously, and lightly tapped Quen's butt with his foot in order to quiet her.

The man shook his head, becoming more comfortable at the silencing of the fire-type."Not exactly. I've been given post at The Dark Cave. I thought I'd catch up with you guys and let you know I feel bad." He sighed, taking a pause from the conversation to placate the fidgety dodrio under him. "Come on!" he hissed at the bird.

Adrian's mouth twitched upwards, remembering back to his father's stern talks about survival. "Life's tough out here, but come on. Three of you?"

"I admit, it was overboard. It wasn't planned or nothin'," he said as he relaxed. "We just wanna see him get some backbone. I mean, shit, do you know what a well trained raticate could do for a guard? They're fast, can swim, I've seen one take a fall from thirty feet and still have the endurance to bite a hole into a tree. The kid's got a good pokemon, but it needs to be trained."

"Regardless," Amy interjected. "I hope the cave is some kind of punishment?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I volunteered. The call came in this mornin'. I figured I could kill two spearow with one stone and apologize to y'all and work with a clear conscious. Even borrowed a dodrio from my pa's ranch to catch up."

Zach allowed himself to sigh loudly and impolitely, his brow furrowing and arms crossed. "Great. We can argue the merit of our moral standpoints while we're moving," he said as he turned and stared down the dark path. He looked at the man over his shoulder, paying mind to the odd bird he sat on. "Do you have any pokemon of your own?"

He nodded. "Sneasel."

"Good," Zach grunted, the word being fully masked by his accent. He turned and began to move into the trees with Leo at his side.

The guard gently kicked the sides of the dodrio and it lowered itself to the ground, the two outermost heads laying on the ground like hands propping the bird into balance. He swung his foot over the pokemon's back and dismounted, producing its pokeball and dissolving it into the capsule. "Is the Sinnoean always that short?"

"He has a lot on his mind," Amy said and turned to follow the field assistant.

The forest enveloped the group as they traveled further. The air became still, and the birds had ceased their songs. Whether or not they were still present remained a mystery to the field assistant who kept his vigil in the trees, and his grass-type away from the bushes.

Every so often, he could hear the cry of a pokemon in the distance, echoing through the trees. The calls were low at first, then became high pitched and screeching. The sounds of violence occupied the air for a brief moment before an unsettling silence returned.

That was the best impression Zach had of this forest, that he had been hold would take the rest of today the half of the next day to traverse. The untamed wilderness where law didn't exist, and the shadows watched them.

"Guys..." Adrian said as he paused his lead on the group, causing the rest to fall still. "Look."

He pointed to the ground, and the source of his interest had become clear. The imprint of tire tracks were entrenched into the dirt of the road, and Zach's skyward vigil had begun to catch the broken branches and pushed aside leaves that had passed by unnoticed. He had wondered how far behind the source they were, and the possibility of joining a convoy was enough to push him out of his long silence.

"Richard," Zach addressed. "How long ago did this vehicle come through Rosemount?" he asked as he gawked at the broken treeline.

"Two days ago. It was in one helluva hurry too. Never seen one like it to be honest. It was louder than any other cars I've seen."

Zach's brow furrowed. "Did an odour come from it?"

"Yeah."

"Must have been gas powered," Zach informed. "Sinnoh is really the only country who has gas powered cars. The winters don't bode well for electric engines."

"So maybe it was brought in from Sinnoh. For some sort of operation led by Sinnoeans," Adrian said.

"Do you think..." Zach said, cutting himself off to keep the question open ended.

Adrian nodded. "Without a doubt. Maybe Elm's in this truck. All we have to do is follow those tracks into Violet City. It's circumstantial at best, but it's something."

"There's a problem with that. Two actually," Zach replied as he scanned the ground. "The tracks only appear in this thicker and more lush soil. When the ground gets harder, they vanish. Secondly, you want to follow tire tracks in a city."

The gears in Adrian's head turned, and he didn't fully understand the implications of Zach's accusations. He furrowed his brow, looking down at the tracks then back to the field assistant.

Zach sighed. "Pavement, Adrian," he said in an almost angry tone. "How can we-"

"Ok, ok," Adrian cut off. "I get it. But there will still be a trail. Information is available to a ranger undergoing an investigation. I can talk to the guards and try to figure out which roads it took."

"That can easily be perverted into false information."

Adrian shrugged. "What else do we have? Let's keep going and see if we can't rustle up some cultists," he said, hoping the idea would help lengthen Zach's patience.

Richard chuckled. "What the hell are you guys mixed up in?"

Adrian opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by his wife.

"The less said the better," she informed as she nimbly maneuvered around the deep tracks.

As the rest of the contingent moved forward, Richard stood behind them with a furrowed brow, shaking his head at the behavior of the woman. "C'mon," he said to the pokeball on his belt. "Can't she give me the benefit of the doubt?"

The group continued their walk, and the sun had begun its decent over the horizon. In those few hours, Zach and Richard had begun to converse The idle conversation helped to keep the field assistant awake and alert. Zach had actually begun to enjoy the conversation as the topics flowed without guidance, and he learned of life in Rosemount. A miserable town on the frontier in a world where a single animal could end everything. From this topic, they began to share stories of their experiences. The most important thing to Adrian and Amy was that he seemed to become less irritable as he and the guard conversed.

"Couple a' years ago, we had a flock of pideot fly over the down. Damn near created a tornado. Experience anything like that, field assistant?"

Zach laughed. "Ever been chased by houndour?" he asked the less than humble guard.

Richard paled at the suggestion. "No. You serious?"

Zach nodded with a grin. "Yeah. They're smart, but humans survived this long because we're smarter. I ended up leading them through a cave system and lost them. Turns out a zubat's echolocation screws with their ability to communicate."

"No kiddin'," Richard replied with an expression of amusement and shock. "All of that for one professor?"

"__The__ professor," Zach corrected placing high emphasis on the title of his former boss' power. "In Sinnoh at least."

"Fair enough," Richard replied as he scanned the treeline. "It sounds like you miss his granddaughter a lot," he replied with a grin.

Zach nodded. "Yeah. Things would definitely be easier if she was here," he said as he looked up to the trees, his eyes following a long line of white string that reached between branches.

"She sounds like a helluva catch," the guard said with a wink. "Did you ever..." he tailed off, moving his hands parallel to one another to demonstrate his meaning.

Zach's smile faded, and he turned to Richard with shock and anger lining his face. "She's like a sister to me," he said with scorn.

Richard laughed, placing his hands on the back of his head. "Fair enough. I guess when you spend that much time with someone you get passed all that crush stuff, huh?"

"Those met through bloodshed create bonds beyond descriptions," Zach quoted as he began to lose interest in the conversation.

"Hm?" Richard sounded.

"A military proverb from when Sinnoh was divided between east and west."

"Sinnoh was divided?"

"Hundreds of years ago."

"That's ancient history. I'm surprised you brought that up," Adrian interjected as he heard the venom build in Zach's voice. "Things move faster up there than down here." He looked down at Quen. "We had a dispute, what, fifty or fifty-five years ago? And people are still talking about it like like we were alive to see it."

The ranger laughed at his own statement with closed eyes, but when he opened them he paled. His smile faded, and the ranger stopped dead in his tracks. A black mass occupied the side of the path and was nestled within the bushes.

Zach noticed it as well, and his eyes widened to see a large truck on its side. All around it was destroyed foliage, and the trees directly behind it were bent and broken like fallen giants. One had fallen on top of the vehicle, crushing the enclosed storage compartment like a tin can.

__'__Before Adrian and his pokemon could even think of a course of action, Zach had sprinted forward on instinct alone, his mind screaming at him with the possibilities that would shatter him if they were correct. He imagined the back of the truck in ruin, and littered with the bodies of both cultists, and the professor he had come to Johto to watch over.

His heart raced at the images, and his legs carried him in an impatient sprint. Although he closed the distance in less than ten seconds, it felt far longer for the panicked field assistant, no matter how fast he ran it would have seemed to take too long. In those ten seconds his overactive brain went over dozens of outcomes, and consequences for his failure. His career was one where a mistake had the potential of dooming the human race, or holding back civilization an entire generation.

__'Please don't be dead.' __his mind screamed as he stopped himself short of the truck and peered into the back compartment. In the darkness his imagination filled the scene, illusionary spots of blood covered the interior, and he thought he could see an outstanding white lab coat slumped against the overturned wall. His breath caught in his throat, and he swallowed hard as he wired his eyes shut.

Then he felt a firm hand on his shoulder, and it gave him a comforting squeeze in the same way Dawn used to do. '__You worry too much'__ she would say in her genial tone. He envisioned her smile, which had always succeeded in placating his worry. She was truly family to him.

He slowly opened his eyes to see a similar smile on Amy's face, but unlike Dawn, Amy's eyes held concern rather than comfort. She squeezed his shoulder again before peering into the cabin, which the field assistant could now see was empty. As the cloud of worry was rushed away by the comforting touch, his thoughts returned to rationality.

Perhaps the greatest factor in the return of his rationale was the fact that Elm wasn't wearing his lab coat on the field.

"Holy shit," he said quietly to himself before looking over to the taller woman at his side with an expression of shock and disappointment in himself, "Maybe I should take your husband's advice." As he spoke, his thoughts began to relax with his body and his heart.

Amy nodded with a knowing smile. "Panic creates mistakes," she said as she removed her hand from his shoulder.

Adrian appeared next to him, his constant smile furthering Zach's calm as the ranger peered into the truck with an optimism which he envied. "Lets take a look around. Maybe find what attacked the truck," he suggested.

The field assistant took another calming breath and looked down at Leo, nodding at him to follow.

Zach looked up and down the upturned bottom of the truck, its components bare to the sun. As he walked from the back to the cabin, his eyes followed the many pipes that fed the gasoline to the engine. This was the aforementioned vehicle of Sinnoean design.

He patted his thigh, and Leo moved closer to his trainer. The leafeon became silent, keeping his ears down and his body flat on the ground like a predator stalking his prey.

When he reached the front bumper of the vehicle, he almost vomited. Retreating instantly back out of sight of the pack of rattata, whose teeth were sunk into the flesh of a corpse. He poked his head around the corner, watching the rodents chew at the legs and tearing the fabric of the John Doe's snow white shirt, stained in crimson in areas the rats had found themselves. He shook his head in disgust to Leo, who silently watched the other pokemon with perked ears. He hazarded a long study of the body, removing the idea of it being Elm when he noticed the difference in size and hair.

Richard gestured to him from the back of the truck, and Zach silently made his way to the rear end of the vehicle.

He saw Adrian and Amy standing idle as they peered into the open doors that led into the truck's storage compartment. The field assistant immediately held his finger to his lips and gestured towards the front of the truck. Adrian's brow furrowed, and his mouth tightened as he shook two fingers towards the ground, signaling Quen to stand at his feet.

"What did you see?" the ranger asked in a whisper.

Zach poked his head around the corner before responding. "A pack of rattata. I think they found the driver."

"Merciful gods," Adrian swore. "How many?"

"I saw four."

"Guys?"

"Any signs of a raticate?"

"Don't think so. They're just scavenging."

"Guys," Richard repeated, his gaze meeting the ground.

The ground at the group's feet had been disturbed greatly, as though a great wind had impacted that spot directly. In between the lines of sand were two sets of large foot prints. Each hosting three long toes and a fourth talon protruding from the back. There was no doubt about it, these were large bird pokemon.

"Those pidgeot left marks like this in the road when they flew over Rosemount." Richard informed. "Looks like whoever was back here had to take a few for the rest of their trip."

"Dammit," Zach cursed as he looked into the dark cabin of the truck.

"What could have knocked over the truck?" Amy asked the three, but her gaze fell mostly on Adrian.

"Couldn't tell ya', hun. Only thing I can think of is a donphan, but they aren't usually in these parts."

"Could they be migrating down from the mountains? Like the skarmory?" Zach suggested, glancing around the tree line for threats.

"Nah. They burrow in the mountains during the winter. That's as close as they get to migrating."

"So..." Zach's face tightened as he struggled to find a conclusion. "This could have been something coordinated? Think this is trainers?"

"Could be. Most trainers aren't bandits though. They get scooped into high paying jobs too often for that to happen."

"Right..." Zach glanced around the wheel of the truck again.

Adrian noted the contemplative look in Zach's eyes."I guess we need to deal with the rattata?" he asked.

"Yeah. We need to identify the driver. What if it's not a cultist?"

Richard nodded. "Zach's right. You guys need to confirm yer theory."

Zach nodded to Adrian, who eagerly grinned. "Four, you said?" he asked as he reached for Arcturus' pokeball.

The rodents maintained their feast, being none the wiser to the atomization of the skarmory. The sound of the tearing clothes and ripping flesh accompanied their gluttonous devouring of the man as a small ironclad head poked over the top of the truck, eager to attempt his first kill.

Arcturus crouched down and opened his wings slowly. He scanned the scene and picked his target, even the young bird was large enough the carry one of the rodents away, but his accuracy was what needed fine tuning. His trainer had decided this would be a good opportunity.

With a moment of instinctual contemplation, the pokemon leaped from his perch with wings spread like a fan. He screeched as his talons shot forward, meeting their mark in the flesh of the furthest rattata. The others only had time to hiss before the bird flapped again and took flight. He swooped through the trees, releasing his catch and throwing it into a tree with an audible crack.

Arcturus landed on the road and outstretched his wings in a display of power. The large chick's mouth opened, and the small teeth were exposed like shards of glass. A high pitched caw gargled from the baby, but it was still enough to issue his challenge to the simple and aggressive rodents.

One took the challenge and lunged forward in a blur of purple. Small clouds of dust were kicked up as the quick pokemon shot from the body to the skarmory. As it passed the truck, its attack came to a swift end as a large quilava snared it in her jaws. Quen shook her head violently with rabid growls, snapping its neck with powerful wrenches.

Of the two remaining rattata, the larger one took off towards Quen, screeching in revenge for its fallen kin. The quilava had barely any time to turn to the direction of the sound before red eyes met red eyes. It lunged with fangs that could pierce steel, aiming for the fire-type's face. Before it could make its mark, its trajectory was changed instantly as a crossbow bolt slammed into it like an airborne knife, catching it between the ribs. It landed with a skid, violently wreathing and squirming on the floor. Before the dust could settle, a lash of electricity illuminated the scene like a small explosion. The injured pokemon was instantly put out of its misery, and Zach looked at the pichu on his shoulder, petting the panting rodent with pride.

The last rattata retreated into the bushes, and there was a long moment of tense silence in the group as they glanced at each other. Adrian rose his crossbow towards the thick undergrowth, and his chest rose and fell in anticipation.

The bushes rustled as a large creature moved within them, and the panicked cry of the rattata quickly followed. A tense and unknowing second passed before Leo emerged with the rattata limp in his mouth, and he looked at Zach with his tail flopping back and forth.

"That was smooth," Richard remarked with a grin as he eyed his pokeballs with envy.

Zach and Adrian gave each other a knowing glance, nodding with due respect. Their straight faces were compromised immediately, and they grinned pridefully. The ranger looked over to his skarmory, who stood still and panted from the expense of energy given by the yet unconditioned pokemon.

__'Good work, Arc.' __The trainer whistled to the bird, and nodded towards his kill that laid at the base of a tree. "I love multitasking, we cleared the area, and our pokemon got their dinner," he said with a smile.

Zach eyed Riley sympathetically. "All except you, huh?" he said to the herbivore, who's ears flattened onto his head. Zach gave him a warm smile. "You have food in my bag, don't worry."

The pichu squeaked, and moved towards Zach's back before attempting to dig into the backpack, only doing so much as ripping the outer fabric before he was pulled off by Zach. "Patience," he was ordered by his trainer, who suddenly regretted his decision to teach the sly pokemon the words "food" and "bag."

He shook his head, and took off the backpack, eyeing Riley incredulously as he looked over the torn fabric. With a sigh, he opened the bag and produced Riley's daily rations, which consisted of nuts and berries. He opened the bag and laid it on the forest floor, smiling as the little rodent squeaked and went for it immediately.

Zach and Adrian's expressions became somber as they looked over to the body, and sighed deeply before taking their first steps towards it. As they approached, the remnants of the man began to introduce its odour, causing Zach to stop and take a moment to himself.

Adrian made the full approach, and knelt before the cadaver. He glanced towards the truck, spotting the shattered windshield. With a sigh of sympathy for the man, he placed his hand carefully on the man's shoulder and pulled him to his back, nodding to himself when he saw where the man's face once was, and stood with closed eyes.

"Yep. Just as I thought," he concluded. "I'm gonna be sick. Excuse me," he said before disappearing into the bushes.

Amy regarded him with a sympathetic grimace, and her shoulders tensed as she scanned the torn features of the body. Her heart raced as she studied man and forest both, fearing that the cause of this scene would appear at any moment.

Zach crouched by the man's body, and attentively scanned the scene. His eyes met with the shattered windshield. He stood, and took a step back to scan the still unnamed body. The clothes were normal, being in a white shirt and jeans, but there was something about the truck that he didn't like, suspicion grew in his gut as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and sauntered towards it like a detective solving a murder.

He took a hold of the front tire, and planted his foot onto the exposed underside of the truck's engine. With minimal effort, he hoisted himself up. He swung his leg over the edge, and rolled onto his back to conclude his ascent. Feeling the warmth of the black paint, he carefully turned onto his stomach and pushed himself up, taking a crouching position as he cautiously approached the door with a balance he had obtained from training with his agile pokemon. His armour did nothing to slow him down, as his trained body dealt with the new weight.

He peered through the broken window, finding the body of the passenger inside. This one was different, he was clad on robes, much like the man who had attacked him in Cherrygrove. The black robes covered the man's body in the same way, and his hood hid his features. Even so, this was all Zach needed to reach a conclusion. He turned and looked at Amy, nodding to her.

The nurse took some steps towards the truck, keeping her eye on her surroundings. "What did you find?"

"A cultist," Zach called. "Looks like Adrian was right."

Adrian emerged from the bushes, pale and clenching his stomach. "Told you..." he said quietly.

Amy gave the ranger a tenderhearted smile, and looked back up to Zach. "What do you think this means?"

"Well," Zach said as he turned to sit with one arm hanging over his knee. "This could have been used to bring Professor Elm to Violet, but something attacked it. Something powerful. It doesn't look like it was knocked over immediately, because they had time to evacuate the back and get away by bird. So, I guess once we get to the city we should ask if anyone's seen bird pokemon touching down inside the walls."

Adrian leaned against the truck. "That won't help. The gym members are always flying over the city on patrols and such. Violet City is Johto's flying-type authority."

Zach nodded. "What if it was a species native to Sinnoh? That might garner some attention. I know a lot of people down here have never seen a staraptor. They're smaller than pidgeot, but they would stand out."

"If the gym has none of their own," Adrian said to himself, wincing when the smell of death reached him on a breeze. He stepped away from the body, taking a cleaner breath once he became an acceptable distance. The sounds of rummaging emanated from the back of the truck as the guard checked the scene with his flashlight. "Richard," the ranger addressed.

The guard poked his head around the corner of the back of the truck, raising his eyebrows. Beneath him, his sneasel stalked around the corner, its highly trained feline muscles bulging underneath its black fur.

"A word, please."

"What's up?" he asked as he approached with he hand held out in front of the dark-type, who eyed the other pokemon defensively.

"I hate to ask this of you, but you gotta get word of this to Rosemount."

Richard's eyes shot wide with irritation. "Seriously?" he asked in disbelief.

Zach slowly nodded to himself at the idea. He looked down to the guard, leaning over the edge to get a full view of him and his dark-type. "How fast can your dodrio run?"

Richard shrugged. "Forty, maybe fifty kilometers an hour, but I've spent all day going north."

"Look," Adrian said, a sliver of energy returning to the disgusted ranger "A dodrio can make the trip in an hour and a half, maybe two. You'll be out of the forest before nightfall, and safely in the town. You need to tell Mr. Pokemon we found the bodies of some cultists."

"Cultists?"

"Richard," Zach said. "We're going north because my boss was kidnapped. Some kind of cult from Sinnoh took him, and one of their members said he was in the city. You need to get back into town, and tell Mr. Pokemon so he can tell the Cherrygrove police. We need your help, please."

Richard's shoulders tensed. "My dodrio can't run that far that fast."

"Yes it can," Amy said. "Dodrio have dual cardiovascular systems, the only thing that could stop them is overheating."

Richard's face went red with embarrassment, and he crossed his arms as he stared at the ground. His sneasel curled around his feet, keeping its gaze focused on the unfamiliar pokemon. "Dammit," he said. "Fine."

Amy's eyes softened at the acquiescence, she had been hard on the man, but she respected his determination to leave a good impression. Even if he was crass. She smiled. "You're doing more of a service than you know, Richard. Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah," he said he turned away and produced his pokeball. "It's only because you guys forgave me about Joey."

"Let's not jump to any conclusions here," Amy responded with her smile maintained. "But this kind of favour is more than enough to compensate."

With an agreeing grunt, Richard thumbed the release mechanism and the dodrio congealed, the central-most head cawing at her trainer's son. It lowered itself, and Richard climbed into the saddle, allowing his sneasel to take a perch in front of him. "Tell the guys at the cave why I'm late for duty, ok?" he asked before kicking the sides of the bird with a loud yip. The bird's heads lowered, as did he and the sneasel, and they shot forward, disappearing down the path in a matter of seconds.

"Damn," Adrian said calmly as he looked over to his pokemon. "I kind of want a dodrio now."

Amy nodded, and looked up at Zach. "Are we done here?"

"Yep," the field assistant replied before leaping down from the truck and landing in a crouch to save his knees the impact. "We should leave before more scavengers come around. Or weedle."

They agreed to move away from the dreadful scene once their pokemon had finished eating. For the remainder of the day, the trainers decided to keep their pokemon outside of their pokeballs, and the presence of their powerful animals deterred any other pokemon who attempted an ambush. Even the dreaded weedle simply watched from the trees as the group walked through the darkening forest.

Zach looked up into the trees, spotting a cluster of the orange worms. Their small eyes watched them with an intelligence only bug pokemon possessed, eerily calculating and aware. Their heads moved in unison, and those who squirmed through the trees did so all at once, as though they were connected. This feature of the worms was just another thing about pokemon that science could not explain. The field assistant new, from all of his time spent with the greatest minds of his country, that science was not even close to explaining the phenomena of a pokemon's abilities.

As he watched the treeline for more of the insects, his mind remained focused on the mere theories of explaining a pokemon's power. This train of thought lasted until the path became too dark to see, and the group found a place to set up camp. Their bedrolls laid around a fire pit which was constructed by travelers long gone. There was little conversation, as Zach had fallen asleep almost immediately after finishing his food. He curled up with Riley, and Leo remained on the forest floor, wearily keeping his eyes on the trees for weedle.

"Do you think letting Richard go back was a good call?" Adrian asked his wife as he settled kindling into the fire pit.

Amy nodded, curling her knees to her chest as she shivered against the cold forest night, thankful for her jeans. "The more information they have, the better. Plus he was getting on my nerves."

Adrian chuckled. "I noticed. Your face gets all scrunched up when you're mad, like a granbull," he said with a rotten grin as he looked over to catch her reaction.

What he caught was a face full of leaves, and he could only hear her laughing as he recoiled and fell onto his back. He laid there for a moment, looking through the branches to the stars that dotted the sky, hearing the muffled chuckling of his wife, who help her hand over her mouth as to remain silent in the untamed and dangerous wilderness. He sat up, clearing the dirt off of his face before shooting her a playful glare.

The ranger stood and approached Amy, sitting beside her and putting his arm around her small frame. He snapped his fingers, and Quen released a wash of flame into the fire pit, illuminating the camp ground, and catching the face of curious herbivores who scattered at the quilava's display. "I compared you to a fairy-type, honey," he said with a maintained smile. "Fairies are beautiful,"

"They only got their classification because of their high ocytocin levels," she said as though the issue held weight.

Adrian laughed, and pushed his face into her hair. "Nerd," he jeered.

SC

Blue eyes peered through the darkness, meeting their mark on the distant fire that danced around the sleeping travelers. His fist was clenched, and impatience forced his mind to turmoil like a large wind urging a forest fire forward. The spheres on his hip called to him, urging him to end his task at this moment. To be done with this trivial task and return to his more important duties. He liked the idea, to be with his "family" again. He reached for the pokeball, but the sensation of a hand on his shoulder stopped him. With a seething sigh, he closed his eyes in irritation.

He turned to see the woman behind him, a face of calm focus. Her long black hair fell over her shoulder in a ponytail, melding with the darkness of the forest in a way that made their stealthy operation far more simple.

"Easy, Harmin," she said in a hushed and even tone.

He growled. "Why don't we just kill them now? Look at them, we could walk right into the camp."

The woman shook her head, and knelt beside the trembling man. "Harmin, if we kill them now we lose the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Killing them in that cave will not only tie up this loose end, but-"

"Lay the blame for the murders on the Dragon Folk, I get it," Harmin cut off in a growl, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I just hate sitting here and wasting an opportunity like this. He should be dead already."

Her hand tightened on his shoulder, feeling the tension build in his muscles. "We couldn't have anticipated what happened. That a skarmory would attack your seviper. Or that a ranger would show up and kill the skarmory."

Harmin gritted his teeth before taking in a deep breath and standing from his crouched position, confident that the shadows of the trees would conceal the duo. "Regardless, he's going to pay for what happened to Svein. An eye for an eye." He paused, his face twisted into an ugly desire for retaliation. A man who took nothing sitting down.

"An eye for an eye?" she suddenly hissed, her white teeth visible through the blanket of twilight. "An eye for an eye is exactly why we were stuck with this shitty mission in the first place. An eye for an eye is why dad wa-"

Harmin turned in a flash, and clapped is hand over her mouth with a slap. His hand remained over her mouth, the tight grip muffling her unsuspecting pule. She winced from the hit, and her eyes widened in fear. Flashbacks of his previous undertakings and psychotic episodes ran through her like a pain, piercing her calm. His cold blue eyes dug into his sister, who's similar eyes shot back desperate remorse, and silent apology.

"You're to never speak of that traitor," he hissed as he moved his head closer to her. "And keep your voice down, idiot. Or I'll ensure Giratina's judgment reaches those fools early and say I had no choice. Tell them that you alerted them to us. Not following The Father's orders to the tee. Grounds for elimination. Right, my dear sister?"

She nodded with a quivering breath as her brother removed his hand, giving her a final glare before walking passed her. She recoiled pathetically when his shoulder brushed hers, and she felt the ghost of the impact on her mouth like a swarm of stinging insects. Slowly turning around, she could only see the outline of her older brother as he vanished into the thick forest with footsteps that even the local wildlife would mistake for those of a small animal.

The woman reached for her only pokeball before taking a hesitant step forwards, kissing the red sphere with tear streaked cheeks. She would release her comforting old friend when they were far enough from the group to be unnoticeable, vigilantly pressing on through the dark forest, in silence, till sunrise.

SC

The sun cast its familiar haze over the forest, and Zach's eyes opened when he became aware of the warmth of Leo laying his head on his chest and Riley against his neck. Still, despite the physical comfort, his mind was racing. This was apparently going to be Zach's morning routine until Elm was found, for better or for worse. He rose his head with the images as another nightmare flashed in his mind, this time it was of the truck, and a large snake appearing from the trees to devour him after the sky became dark. He had since given up on making sense of it.

He woke his pokemon up with gentle pats, receiving a responding jolt of low amp electricity from Riley. The mouse was beginning to be able to control how much he hit Zach with, and for that, he was thankful. Until Riley would be trained to not discharge on his trainer, it was a good way of measuring his ability.

He sat up fully, gently running his hand through Leo's fur, and glanced over to his partners. One of the bedrolls laid abandoned as they both occupied a single sleeping bag, cuddling against the cold of the night. Quen rested her head on the bag over Amy's feet, her frame slowly expanding and compressing as the quilava quietly snored.

He smiled at the scene of the family, and removed himself from his sleeping bag. He began to roll it up with deep contemplation of the truck, allowing the better senses of his pokemon to pick up any threats. "You guys ready to train?" he asked them, knowing his words were lost on the animals. His tone was what Leo recognized.

The leafeon replied with a long yawn and a stretch, but looked otherwise ready for the morning routine.

The trees echoed with the sound of the weak thunder emitted by cracks of lightening. Amy grunted at the sounds of the pokemon, and she nudged Adrian lightly. "Go train with him," she said quietly. "I'll make breakfast."

Adrian nodded, and kissed her on the head before slipping out of the sleeping bag and moving towards his armour.

The regiments went silent, and Adrian cocked an eyebrow in the direction they were once coming from.

Zach emerged, breathing heavily and drenched with sweat. Leo emerged beside him, panting as heavily as his trainer. "Good morning," he said with high spirits.

"Legendaries," Adrian said as he scanned the field assistant. "Do you race Leo up the trees or something?"

Zach smiled under his exhausted expression, closing his eyes and putting his hands on his hips. "Nah," he panted. "Just the usual routine,"

"You look more beat than some of the people I went to school with, and they drove us to the dirt," the ranger replied with amusement.

"I might have overdone it, honestly," Zach admitted as he sat on the ground. "But it's been a few days since I've had a real training session with Leo."

Adrian nodded, an glanced over to Quen, who remained flat on the ground. "Alright, Fire Spout," he called to her. "Our turn."

The sounds of training became renewed as streams of fire and metallic screeching filled the air. Every time Zach heard Arcturus, his thoughts went back to the bird's mother, who had played a large part in saving his life. Even as haunting as the sound was in the cold forest, he was grateful to hear them. However, it didn't improve his mood once the high of his training had passed.

"You alright, Zach?" Amy asked as she stirred a small pot over the fire. "You look upset."

Zach shrugged. "I've been having nightmares since Elm was kidnapped," he admitted. "Every night it's similar."

Amy cocked an eye brow. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Honestly, I do," he said with a nod. "They're usually reflections of the days events, but they always end the same way."

"What's that?"

"Something blocks out the sky," Zach answered before a brief contemplative pause. He sighed lightly and continued after a second. "I have no idea what it is. I had a dream a few nights ago where I saw multiple figures. Regardless, it ends when I hear a voice," he said. As he spoke, his voice became quieter, and he shivered as the sun became blocked out by the clouds.

"What does it say?"

"It varies," he replied, and the memory of the booming demand echoed in his mind as though it were a cavern. "What it's referring to is beyond me."

Amy looked thoughtfully at the contents of the pot before replying. "That could be your subconscious edging you on, or something," she dismissed. "Really, it sounds like just nightmares brought on by stress. Just remember that they're only dreams."

"Yeah, but last night was just the image of the body we found yesterday. Then a snake. I did tell you about the seviper, right?"

"Mhmm," she sounded as she peered into the cooking pot.

"Yeah, I don't think I'm a fan of snakes anymore," the field assistant admitted with a small smile.

She chuckled. "That's to be expected. Honestly, just be glad you're alive."

Zach nodded. "On the topic of mortality. You guys didn't react much to the corpse. Is that your first time seeing a body?"

Amy shook her head. "I'd rather not get into it, but I've seen death.. I've seen people and pokemon brought in with injuries that make me nauseous just thinking about them."

"Mesprit's heart."

"Thank you," Amy replied with a brief smile.

"And Adrian?"

"He grew up in New Bark. He's seen his share of death."

"Fair enough. I've only been in Johto for a few weeks, and yet it feels like I've seen enough to last a year."

"That's just how it is out here, and I'm sorry if you're not happy in Johto," Amy replied with an almost defensive tone.

Zach's mouth hung open in protest, but he simply looked at the ground in defeat. "When I came to Johto, it was the happiest I've been in my life. I was terrified, sure, but it was because I didn't know what to expect. The unknown is exciting to me. This cult, though, they're an exception. I know nothing about them other than their pious justifications for..." He cut himself off and took a deep breath as his voice became louder, and he relaxed. "The people of this country have been nothing but good to me otherwise. It's Sinnoh I'm starting to get sick of," he said as he hugged his knees closer to his chest.

Amy paused, and blinked at the field assistant. "We'll figure it out," she said quietly before hosting a smile and looking up at the clouds. She cleared her throat. "Well, if you like the country so much, I hope you like its foliage. How does oran and nuts strike you?"

"Like how I imagine it feels to become the champion," he said with a large grin casting him out of the dreary conversation.

They ate silently, Adrian joining them once he finished his training. Although the food was bland, it was a welcomed change from digging into their limited rations. Amy knew which plants were good to eat in the area, as was required by her studies into dealing with pokemon who had become poisoned by eating the wrong plants. Adrian admitted to receiving the same training, as a man who's job required him to work in the wilderness most of the time should.

After they ate, they packed up and set back onto the path. The forest was darker with the presence of the gray clouds overhead, and Zach found his companions huddling under their armour in the colder conditions.

The trees thinned more and more until the path opened into a large field, sporting a line of transmission towers which lined a westward path from the forest. Zach eyed the large metal structures with relief, feeling a small sliver of safety with the beacon of civilization. He followed the cables, and traced an errant line toward a small structure by the foot of a distant mountain. To him, the structure appeared as a blurred dot in the overcast and dark day, but the mouth of the cave, by which the outpost was dwarfed, stood visible.

Zach nodded towards the cave, and shoved his hands into his pockets as the group continued into the valley. The only pokemon they came across were bellsprout, a curious plant-like pokemon with a yellow bell shaped head and a thin brown body which appeared the struggle to support the weight of its head. Still, it stood, the thin body wiggling as an apparent act to maintain balance. Because It had trouble even walking, Zach dismissed it as not even close to a threat.

Finally, in a welcomed break of the tall grass, they saw their current destination. A large cave, which gaped like the mountain's mouth, standing before an outpost. Surrounding the mouth of the cave were enormous flood lights, their cables snaking back towards a shanty of a barracks, which appeared less and less impressive the closer the group came.

When they arrived, they were met with the gazes of guards, both jaded and greenhorn alike. Their green uniforms appeared baggy on their muscular frames, and looked impractical in situations outside of a city. This was a hasty set-up.

Zach then noticed the biggest problem with the outpost. It was completely martial. Of the ten men and women posted in front of the cave, not a single one had a pokeball.

This was thrown together with the minimal of resources, and Richard would be the only trainer among them once he arrived. Whatever supplies they would need would likely be food, or ammunition for their pneumatic crossbows.

Once they passed small wooden structures used as a shoddy form of defense, the largest of the men stood, his eyes scanning them as his raised his crossbow to his chest.

"Can I help you?" the large and tanned guard asked, in a deep voice, as he approached and eyed Adrian's ordinance.

Adrian nodded and saluted the man. "Private Ranger Adrian Mitsugi of Violet Region. I have orders from Special Forces Officer Jennifer Itsana of Cherrygrove to run logistics as I pass though. Is there anything you guys need out here? I can compile a list and bring it to the barracks in Violet once we arrive."

"Ah, about time," the man said with a smile. He relaxed his weapon, but kept a weary eye on the traveler's pokemon. "See, we were getting antsy. Glad you made it safely, ranger." The large man glanced between the three, then cleared his throat before turning to lead the group to the shoddy building near the cave entrance. "What he need out here is a damn trainer. I don't know why Augustus thought crossbows would do well against rock-types, but I can't argue with orders from the top."

"You have one on route from Rosemount. He has a sneasel," Adrian informed as they reached the front door of the two story shack.

The guard replied with a grunt, his chin furrowing. "Yeah. He was supposed to be here yesterday, but still no sign of him."

Adrian gave an uneasy smirk, and rubbed the back of his head as he glanced over to Zach. "We – uh. We had to send him back to Rosemount to give some intel about the route to Cherrygrove. He'll be here at some point today."

The tanned man sighed fiercely. "As long as he gets here before something emerges from that cave, I'll be happy," he said before turning and leading the group towards the two story shack. "We're also getting low on fruits-"

He was cut off when he began to hear the sounds of a deep rumbling come from the cave. It sounded as though the inky depths of the cave hosted a river of large rocks, slamming and crashing into each other with the force of a rapid.

The guards by the floodlights stood at once, their mouths stuck in a surprised "O" shape. They flicked the switches of their massive lights, and illuminated the entrance in time for a cloud of dust to erupt from it like a torrent of smoke, and the edges of a bulking and rigid figure became silhouetted in the mist as it violently approached.


	10. Darkness

**So I've had the idea fit into my mind that the pacing of this story is like a snail trying to swim through peanut butter. That being said, here's a chapter where they don't travel. Enjoy.**

* * *

His fists were clenched and sweaty, his heart raced, and his eyes were wide in response to the avalanche of dust that erupted out of the cave like a monster's vomit. Like the bile of a fire-type, the dust collided with the guards by the entrance, enveloping them in a blanket of needles as the sand and rocks pummeled into their exposed forearms and faces. Sending an almost haunting echo of cries of pain as they vanished into the cloud.

Leo tensed as he moved between Zach and the cave, his ears perked at the sound of heavy footsteps impacting the rock of the cave like giant and violent hammers. A large quadrupedal pokemon shot out of the dust as though it was the cloud's creation, gaining form as it outran the now falling cloud. Its footsteps shook the ground as large feet ungracefully carried its body at an impressive speed. A speed that would sufficiently make use of the three foot horn that jutted out of its snout like a stalagmite, which stood attached to a large and flat head.

The armed guards sprung into action, and bolts from crossbows pelted off of the pokemon's thick hide like rocks on a steel sheet, landing uselessly in the grass and being trampled by the pokemon's large feet. The pokemon didn't fight back, nor was it even threatening. Not to Amy, who's trained perception picked up the hint of agony in the pokemon's breaths. In the chaos of the situation she didn't find violent intention in the ryhorn. Something in the way it moved, indirect and without a target.

It was running from something, and the limp the pokemon suffered was confirmation enough for the nurse to know this pokemon wasn't well.

And, although the deduction had triggered the event itself, it collapsed, skidding on the ground for a full five feet before coming to a rest by the outpost. Its head rammed through the palisade, reducing it to splinters that flew and spun through the air.

The air became still, and the only sound to settle the scene was the heavy breathing of the exhausted rock-type, who rolled over onto its belly and weakly rose itself. The nurse watched with pity as it dragged itself out of the wood pile, and collapsed again once it felt the grass on its stomach.

Her heart fell into her gut when she saw the trail of blood behind it, leaking from its hind leg and trailing through the broken wood. She knew better than to blame the broken pieces for the injury, and the ice particles within the wound told an entire story, with an unknown culprit.

She turned to Adrian, who had watched the scene wide eyed and speechless. Not so much as to the power of the pokemon, but to the fact that ryhorn were not native to the area. He turned to the captain of the outpost, who's attention was fixed on the guards by the cave entrance that had begun to slowly emerge from the cloud.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked in a booming voice.

"Yes, sir," one of the guards replied with a salute as she slowly scanned her comrades. "I think the worst is some dust in our eyes."

"Good, get some rope together. We need to tie this thing down."

Amy turned to the captain, her eyes wide with surprise. "What? It's scared enough as it is."

"We don't want that thing getting lose around here. Legendaries know what it could do."

She gestured towards its hind leg, which continued a trickle of blood over its rock-like hide. "It won't get far. Let me take a look at it, maybe I can bring it back to full health."

The guard furrowed his brow, and crossed his arms. "What would you know? I see no pokeballs on your belt."

"Nor do I see any on yours. She's at least educated," Zach cut in with crossed arms, earning a glare from the captain. "I do have to protest, Amy. We don't have time to get this... pokemon back to health." He stuttered to say as the name of the species escaped him.

Adrian stepped forward, noticing the anger rise in his wife's eyes. "Let her do this, Zach," he said quietly with a smile. "Or I'll be hearin' bout it for a week."

Zach shook his head, dismissing the suggestion. "I appreciate that you care about this pokemon, Amy, but the professor is still missing, and Violet City is still a full days travel from here."

"I know how far Violet is, Zach, and I know you're in a rush, but I can't walk away from this," the brunette replied as she turned and walked towards the heavily breathing ryhorn.

Zach's eyes flared, and closed as he felt the tug of impatience rise in his chest, much like when Richard had first approached them on the road. "I thought this was going to be a pit stop," he grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It was," Adrian replied as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now she has a job to do here. It's been almost a week, what's another hour?"

"Agony," Zach remarked as he glanced down at Leo, who's ears folded against his head.

The large captain cleared his throat, and watched as the woman timidly approached the injured pokemon. "You're a pokemon specialist, right?" he asked Adrian. "Maybe you can be of use to us while your friend looks at the ryhorn. We need to see the wound and determine what attacked it. A predator in the cave could too quickly become our problem."

Adrian turned and nodded, taping his thigh to call Quen to him. "I know a bit about wounds, but you'll really want my wife's opinion on that, sir."

The captain replied with a grunt, and looked over towards Amy, who had still yet to reach the ryhorn through caution.

The ryhorn was breathing heavily, and releasing periodic grunts that sent small vibrations under her feet as she approached. Her armour was useless against a ryhorn's charge, if the horn didn't penetrate then the impact would destroy her organs. She knew this, and took steps that had the potential to be unheard in the most silent of rooms. She spoke to it in her high pitched and genial tone. A piece of broken wood cracked under her feet, and the ryhorn's head twisted in her direction, bobbing up and down as a warning. In response, the nurse shifted over, ensuring she was directly beside the petrivor's head. As she grew closer, it grunted, and began to kick dirt towards her in what the two present trainers could identify as a feeble sand-attack.

She stopped, and threw her arm over her eyes as the sand hit her, feeling the small stings impact her face. When the blasts of sand stopped their torrent, she knelt down onto her knees at a fair distance from the rock-type. "It's ok," she said in a motherly tone. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Adrian watched with crossed arms, eyeing the wound. "Looks like an ice-type cut through its hide," he told Zach, who was listening as well as a man who had become fed up with the situation. "Are you listening?" he asked in a sharper tone.

Zach sighed, and scanned the wound himself. "I've expressed my concerns, and, yes, I see the ice in the wound."

Adrian turned to Zach. "Look, this won't take long, can you try to muster some patience?"

Zach closed his eyes. "Do you think Elm's wife has patience for something like this?"

The ranger opened his mouth to speak, but only a sigh emerged. With a huff, he turned and made his way over to the injured pokemon, leaving the Sinnoean to brood. He paced over the patchy grass towards the large man, who observed the nurse slowly crawl towards the injured beast.

"What could have caused this, ranger?" the captain asked as Adrian stepped up beside him.

Adrian shook his head. "I don't know of any ice-types that come this far south, aside from swinub and the occasional jynx."

The captain grunted. "I've read that Jynx don't normally attack unless something gets close to their young, and I doubt a swinub did this. Look." He pointed to the wound, which had revealed itself as a long cut which had penetrated the surface of the ryhorn's hide. "That's a claw mark. I'm no trainer, but I can tell that much. What ice types have claws, ranger?"

"Sneasel, sir," Adrian replied as he thought back to his studies on predators.

"Sneasel, huh? Shit..." the captain hissed. He watched as Amy crept closer to the pokemon, who had slowly become more comfortable with her nonthreatening presence. He rubbed his stubbled chin for a while as he deeply contemplated the next course of action. "That's your fire-type, right?" he asked after a moment of conceptualization.

"Uh, y-yes, sir," the ranger uneasily replied, fearing the next words from the superior.

"Rangers are in a different ranking than guards, so I have no true authority over you. What I'm asking is a favour, rather than an order. Could you go into the cave and hunt this pokemon before it becomes a bigger issue?"

"Sir?"

The captain shook his head. "I'll send some men in with you, and I'll give you some extra bolts for your crossbow. We have no trainers here, and you're lucky enough to have a type advantage over any ice-types. This is our best opportunity."

"A squad? Sir, I'm just a private-"

"It's not an order. This isn't a special operation, it's just a part of the job."

Adrian paused, and turned to the aggravated Zach, who had taken to a cross armed stance and a scowl. He understood Zach's impatience, the fact that this task was so trivial in comparison nailed the idea of moving on with the field assistant, but it wasn't within him to turn down people in need. He then turned to his wife, who had now placed a tender hand on the ryhorn's head and slowly rubbed the troubled animal. Likewise, he ran his hand through his short black hair, expelling a thoughtful breath.

"Ill do it," Adrian said flatly, his smile faded and his eyes scanning the scene. "I need to have a word with someone before I do though." He dismissed himself and walked towards Zach, who looked eager for the arrival of the ranger. When he stood before the field assistant, he rubbed his neck, suddenly realizing how reluctant he was to deliver the news.

Zach regarded him with a cocked eyebrow, allowing the ranger the first word.

"Zach, look, uh," Adrian struggled to begin. "The people here need me and Quen to go into that cave and hunt whatever hurt the ryhorn. I know you want to get goin' and all, but-"

"Of course I do," Zach cut off. "This isn't our problem."

"Look," Adrian replied, his voice becoming louder and agitated. "Amy and I have careers where we are a service, and our duty is to other people. Yours isn't, you're responsible to one man and one man only, I get it. We can't turn the other cheek to this, though. This is our job." By the time he had finished, the ranger was near a yell.

Zach took a deep breath, and attempted to calm himself. He shook his head. "I'll tell you what, I'll go on ahead, and we can meet up in Violet City. I need to keep the search going, and I can't afford a full days set back."

Adrian's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. "If you think that's best, then that's what we'll do," he said in a low tone.

"I'll do what I can on my own. I'll likely still be searching when you two show up," Zach stated as his eyes contact broke, and his irate gaze scanned the western road. "I've always wanted to visit the birthplace of Sprout's Code," he muttered under his breath.

"You best get goin', then," Adrian remarked as he removed the crossbow from his back. "Hate for you to get stir crazy," he grumbled as he stepped away, and whistled to Quen in a piercing tone. The quilava stopped and looked at Zach for a moment, a gaze that unsettled Zach and planted the seed of guilt. She then sniffed at Leo briefly, and ran off when Adrian called her a second time.

The field assistant watched the weasel scamper towards her trainer, and looked down at Leo, who returned the gaze with a small whimper. Zach sighed regretfully and turned towards the west, looking far down the route to the band of trees which interrupted the valley. On the other end would be the city, and he felt the tug of his responsibility like a chain pulling him. He shoved his hands into his pockets and began to walk, passing Amy, who had begun to move closer to the ryhorn's leg.

She looked up at him, and cocked an eyebrow. Like Adrian, she understood his rush but still felt the ting of irritation rise in her gut. She shook her head and returned her focus to the rock-type. The ryhorn shook under her hand, and it released a pained groan as a gust of wind picked up dirt, sending some of it into the exposed wound. She put the thoughts of Zach to the back of her mind and returned to the task at hand, standing and moving to the pokemon's rear end. When she placed her hand onto its rump, the ryhorns muscles tensed. It raised its hind leg and kicked it outwards like a ram, causing Amy to leap backwards with a speed and nimbleness that impressed the onlooking guards.

Zach stopped, and his shoulders tensed at the sound of the ryhorn, who's pained cry sent a flurry of memories back to him. He closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth, wondering why this monsoon of past experiences and quotes had picked this moment to return to him. Had the ryhorn triggered that deep feeling of responsibility to the Sinnoean? He took another step, but stopped at another sound. This time it was Leo, who barked at him once as though to call him out on his asshole behaviour,

He turned to look at his partner, and the look in the fox's eyes triggered a single memory, which forcefully pushed itself to the front of his mind. A memory of his past, exactly six years ago.

The rain was cold and sent chills through the two assistants, but their own discomfort was not as important as what laid in front of them. Blood leaked from the wound of a small blue lion who breathed heavily. Ripples of electricity weakly buzzed around its form, leaving the two young researchers hesitant to touch it. Not far behind them was the krabby responsible for the injury, dangling lifelessly from Leo's jaws.

Dawn sat forward, putting pressure on her luxio's wound, and begetting a weak roar of painful protest from her pokemon. She endured the small shock that crackled between her hands and the pokemon. The trainer then began to stroke her luxio's fur until the uncomfortable tingling stopped, and looked to Zach, who sat on his knees, clueless as to what to do next. In his hands were the gauze and stitches, but the tools were only as good as the mind which held them.

He looked to her, puzzlement and fright apparent in his eyes, and shook his head. "Dawn..." he said slowly, but the rest of the words refused to leave him.

Instead of impatience, and in the place of urgency, a smile broke over Dawn's features, and she placed a bloody hand on Zach's. "You just need to do it one step at a time. That's all that's required of you. Forget about failure." She looked back down at her pokemon, who laid pathetically in the mud, defeated by a far weaker pokemon, who had the advantage of surprise. "The only real failure is not trying. I can run you through the steps." Her expression was genial, but that of her pokemon was angry. As if to call on the field assistant to fix her before her life had literally drained from the wound.

"Dawn... I'm too nervous..." the seventeen year old Zach said.

"You're nervous?" Dawn replied, cocking an eyebrow. "That means you give a damn. I know you. You'd try if you cared." She tightened her grip around his hand, which held the stitches. "Now. We'll run through this, one step at a time."

Zach looked down to the wound, catching the expression of the luxio in the corner of his eye. Those red eyes that had begun to loose their fire. He couldn't allow his best friend's first pokemon to be killed when it was so easy to prevent it. So he swallowed hard, and patted the lion on the head before getting to work, keeping the memory of his father's pokemon with him as motivation.

Now he stood in Johto, twenty three and hardened. Being inflicted with a task that would have sent most men running back home in failure.

_'Why now?' _Zach thought as he turned and watched Adrian talk to the guards, and Amy, who had had to regain the ryhorn's trust a second time. '_Why am I thinking about this now? Elm needs me, and this is just a bump in the road. I don't need to stay here... Do I?' _The edges of his reasoning screamed at him. '_This is... the nest step, isn't it?'_ He looked at Leo, who maintained eye contact and straight posture, unmoving and standing strong. '_Amy, said it too. One step at a time.'_

He recalled the promise he made to the very pokemon who had traveled through life with him, who had always been at his side, and who had helped him carry out that promise. On that cold morning in the forest, when he was young and saw how ugly the world was for the first time.

There was no way for Leo to understand what he said, especially as a baby. However, fifteen years of training and experience had drilled the idea of that promise into his mind, and he too became a protector of both his trainer, and whoever his trainer's trusted judgment deemed in need. But at this moment, when his trainer would go against his creed, he needed to stand tall in his own resolve.

A pokemon of such intelligence was truly a gift. To take the initiative to act as an individual, as opposed to a unit.

His trainer's face tightened, and took a step towards Leo, who had begun to wag his tail at the return of his trainer. Zach knelt before him, placing his hand on the side of the leafeon's head as though to ask for forgiveness. "This is loss we can prevent, isn't it?" he asked Leo, who licked his hand in response. "What the hell kind of man am I to turn my back on this?"

Leo barked, and pushed his head into Zach's chest, urging the trainer to stand. His palms were sweaty, and he felt the weakness in his legs. Nervousness.

_'You're nervous? That means you give a damn.'_

With a new mission, Zach wandered over the patches of dirt and grass. His hazel eyes were now focused, not angry as they were before. Pure concentration and recollection of what Dawn had taught him honed his consciousness. The field assistant knelt by the ryhorn's head, and slowly ran his palm up and down its snout, bringing forth a comfortable grumble from the rock-type. His hand wandered behind its ear, and glided comfortingly between its spaced eyes, eliciting another calm grumble. _'That was easy. I just walked right up to it.'_

Amy stood, puzzled as to what caused the pokemon's sudden comfort, and saw the top of the head of the field assistant. "You're not leaving?"

Zach replied with a grunt, and he winced in embarrassment. "Try going for his leg again."

The nurse blinked, but shrugged and knelt back down. She slowly made her way towards its leg again, this time ensuring she was out of its path should it kick again. She swallowed hard, and timidly reached for the open wound. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and touched the area next to the flow of blood. Her shoulders tensed in tandem with the ryhorn's leg, but it remained grounded. Instead, it grunted, which was replied to by Zach's comforting whispers.

She stood, slipping her backpack off and rummaging through its contents. "Thank you," she said to her helper.

Zach nodded, and looked up to the darkening sky. "It's going to rain soon. We should cover this guy up before the rain abrades the wounded area further."

"Of course," she replied, a smile crossing her face as her amber eyes lit up. "You stay by his head, and keep him calm. I'll handle the procedure."

"Hey, if you need a hand with it just run me through the steps."

SC

With his crossbow in hand, Adrian looked over the faces of the three men he had been put in charge of. He felt the sweat trickle down his temple as the fact of this being his first command position, outside of training, poked holes in his confidence. He was only a private, and never expected to lead a small squad until promotion.

"Ok. Your captain told me you guys know this cave from your scouting, which is why he's put you under my charge. Our job is simple, to track down a sneasel and kill it. I understand some of you have little experience with wild pokemon, which is why I'm here." He swallowed hard as his voice began to shake with unease. "Now, once we're in there I don't want to hear a single word unless it's useful, and even then keep it at a whisper. A sneasel isn't the only pokemon in there, and all I have are my quilava and a very young skarmory. If you see the sneasel, wait for my order to shoot it. I'd like to get my pokemon the first blow if possible."

The guards nodded, and the entire troop looked into the cave.

"A secondary objective is to find out why all that dust followed the ryhorn out. This is mainly a scouting objective, and a collapsed tunnel is worth reporting," he added before looking backwards, he spotted Zach with Amy, and his eyes softened as his ever present smile widened. "Let's move. I'm sure some of you want the sun to still be up when he leave the tunnels." He rose his crossbow to his chest, and took the first steps into the Dark Cave, holding his flashlight under the weapon.

As they moved in, the air became still, and the warmth of the sun abandoned them. Within moments they were deep within the darkness, and the only way to see were the flashlights that turned on one after the other.

His light caught a pile of rubble, which clogged a once small tunnel. The secondary objective was completed instantly, just outside of the range of the single remaining flood light.

One of the guards spoke up, a feminine voice. "That tunnel used to lead to the zubat's main nest. So I think it's safe to say we won't be seeing any."

Adrian nodded and became straight faced, scanning the caves walls. Damp and dripping. It was common knowledge that the cave was host to a series of rivers that ran deep underground, and fed an entire ecosystem of rock and ground-types within the deep roads of the extensive system. It was easy to get lost in these caves, and he released a deep sigh of concentration, watching the breath leave him through the light of his flashlight. He turned to his comrades.

"Alright," he said quietly, hearing his whispers echo off the walls and merge with the drips of water. "What's the best course from here? Please tell me it wasn't that tunnel," he said as he scanned the faces of the guards, two of them men with deep lines etched on their faces. The other was a a woman who looked in her mid thirties. She stepped forward.

She spoke confidently and deeply. "We can get to a large cavern through this other tunnel. I remember hearing about sneasel ambushing in those kinds of places," she said as she pointed her flashlight down the aforementioned tunnel.

Adrian nodded. "Good thinking. They can make more use of their black-outs there. So be on your guard. If it's blacked out, we have no chance of seeing it in the darkness," he said as he turned towards the illuminated passage.

"Black-outs?" the woman asked.

Adrian nodded as he shone his light down the tunnel. "Somehow, dark-types're able to absorb light all together. They become impossible to see if they're in deep darkness. Almost as if they are the shadows itself. Hell, look at a dark-type while it's blacked out and you get a headache."

"How can they do such a thing?" one of the men asked in a hush.

Adrian turned and looked at him, a smile lining his face. "This is a pokemon we're talkin' about. Your guess is as good as mine. Now, I want silence from here on out. This is a predator, after all."

All three of his companions nodded, their flashlights moving about the tunnels. Adrian started down the way pointed out, proceeding slowly. The walls around them began to dry out, and the dripping of the water began to echo as they grew more distant. The trainer felt the heat of his pokemon beside him, who occupied the reverberative tunnel with her sniffing. Finally, after a minute of slow progress, Quen's sniffing stopped, and she began to prod at a single spot on the ground.

Adrian knelt before Quen, stealing her attention from the ground. He ran his hand over the side of her face, resting it on her jaw. "Did you pick somethin' up?" he asked the quilava. The weasel blinked at him before walking forwards, her nose returning to the ground. Adrian stood, and gestured to the guards to continue on down the caves.

"Ranger," one of the older men addressed. "Look."

Adrian turned around. On the wall was a long horizontal mark that ran three feet, scratched into the cave in rows of two. Adrian moved closer to the marks on the wall, using his own flashlight to illuminate the rest of the marks course. The scratches continued down the tunnel, contusing the caves walls for the rest of its visible length. Embedded throughout where sporadic patches of ice, both in patches and shards. He compared the marks on the wall to those on the ryhorn's leg.

_'Looks like it's a sneasel after all. I'd recognize territorial markings even if I wasn't hunting one,'_ Adrian thought as he cast his light onto Quen, who had moved up the tunnel a fair distance, keeping her nose on the scent of the dark-type. He turned to the other guards, and pointed three of his fingers upwards, signaling them to keep their weapons ready. All at once, they raised their basic crossbows, and remained silent.

They took the rest of the tunnel slowly, taking care to not walk loudly. Adrian's hands became clammy at the idea that they were being watched, and his flashlight spanned the tunnels circumference hastily. If it was not for the low temperature of the caves, he was sure he'd break into a cold sweat. Still, the pressure of being in command, and the idea of an invisible pokemon stalking them was more than enough motivation to keep it together.

The ranger was taken out of his reverie when he saw the faintest light near the end of the tunnel, and his pace quickened. As he grew closer, the details of the small cavern became more and more pronounced, as they were illuminated by a break in the cave's ceiling. When they grew closer to the entrance of the room, their pace slowed, and they entered quietly. The flashlights were all killed at once, and their breath caught in their throats. There, in the middle of the natural spotlight, which leaked in through a hole in the ceiling, in a moment of break in the clouds, was their target. Cleaning itself after a kill. Its narrow head rose and fell as its small tongue ran along the length of its long and gangling arms, which hosted wicked claws at the ends of eerily human hands. Uncharacteristic of most cats, the sneasel had a plume of feathers on its rear end, sticking upright when the pokemon decided to walk bipedal. Adrian noticed it was male, which was told of the single long red feather that protruded out of its right ear like a blade, hard and sharp like Leo's tail.

The group quickly dropped down to a kneel, and observed the pokemon, which was distracted by its recent swinub kill. A small pig-like pokemon covered in long brown fur.

Quen remained silent, much to the pride of her trainer. She knew this was a hunt, and the element of surprise was their best option. Keeping his hand on Quen's head, Adrian gave the signal to surround the small divot in the ground in which it stood, taking great care to remain in the shadows. A pokemon this fast could easily escape unless surrounded.

The three nodded, and vanished into the dark as though they melted into the shadows. Adrian inched forward, keeping his crossbow aimed timidly at the dark-type. It was due to stupid personal pride in his pokemon that he didn't fire a bolt into the frail sneasel at that instant, wanting to show the power of Quen to these guards he would never meet again. Of course this thought had occurred to him, but he shoved it aside like an annoying insect. Any opportunity to get Quen more familiar with her killer instincts was more than enough motivation for the pokemon trainer to hold off on his own aggression.

Thirty tense seconds passed, and the sneasel finished cleaning himself, shaking the excess saliva off and crawling towards his kill. Adrian's mouth twisted upwards with anticipation as he waited for the moment to strike. When his claws would enter his kill, Quen would send an ember towards the distracted ice-type. Followed by the storm of bolts that would make short work of its small frame.

The sneasel's arm rose towards the swinub, and Adrian's finger tensed on the trigger. However, the sneasel's head rose, and his attention was taken from the kill. Darting his head back and forth, the sneasel backed up towards the darkness behind him, and quickly spun around, darting into the shadows. Adrian's smile twisted upside down, and he pounded his fist on the floor, sending the impact echoing through the small cavern.

He looked down at Quen, who's head dropped in defeat, and shook his head as he started to stand.

The resonating echo of his fist became accompanied by a panicked scream from the other end of the cavern, and the sounds of brief violence accompanied it, snarling and the ripping of fabric. As quickly as it had begun, it all stopped, leaving the terrified swearing and groaning of the man to fill the room. All flashlights turned on and went on him immediately, revealing the middle aged man to have fallen on the ground, holding his calve as blood trickled through his fingers.

Adrian swore and sprinted over the lit portion of the room, ignoring the brief smell of death as he ran past the swinub's carcass. The man fell onto his back, his teeth exposed and seething in agony.

"What the hell happened, Geralt?" the woman asked in a panic as she knelt beside him.

Geralt's forehead wrinkled as he opened his pained eyes. "Should have taken that shot, ranger," he said as he shot an incredulous glare to Adrian.

His heart fell, and the idea of giving Quen the kill quickly filled him with guilt. He wanted to apologize, but he knew it would do nothing. Instead of opting for an apology, he came up with a plan. He knew what he had to do, and his mouth straightened. "He's bleedin' too hard to continue on," he advised, receiving a glare from the far more experienced guards. He ignored this, and continued. "What I'm saying is that you two need to get him out of here as fast as you can. I'll continue ahead and kill the sneasel alone."

"Ranger. You don't know the caves," the woman said as she crossed her arms. "You'll get lost down here."

Adrian shook his head, pointing his flashlight down the only tunnel that led out of the room. "There are only two paths to take from here, and one goes back to the entrance. I doubt that sneasel went far, and it will likely try to finish the job. So if I go down its escape route, it'll come to me."

The woman blinked, and she looked down at the face of her companion, which remained twisted in pain. Shaking her head, she stood, nodding to the other man. "Fine, but if you die in here it's not our responsibility, ranger."

Adrian looked at her, his face showing remorse. "Its my fault Geralt was injured, I have no way of apologizing for that. If I die in here it's my own fault for hesitating on the shot."

The woman opened her mouth to speak again, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. The gray haired man patted her and shook his head. "He's taking responsibility for this, Mary," he said. "And he admitted to being at fault. That's a rare trait for a rookie." He then looked up at Adrian. "You want to prove yourself, private. I respect that. Just remember the difference between bravery and stupidity."

"I've hunted before," Adrian said as he raised his crossbow to his chest. "I know how to be careful."

"Good," the old man said, and moved over towards Geralt, who's fiery eyes remained on the ranger. The two raised up their companion, and began to move into the tunnel with his arms slung over their shoulders. Adrian watched the light of their flashlight fade as they vanished into the deep tunnels, and sighed.

He looked at Quen, who had stared at him the entire time. Her pupils had become enlarged, showing the same remorse her trainer did.

"Not much we can do now," the trainer said as he began down his own path. He shone his flashlight down the tunnel, leaving his back exposed to the darkness. The sensation that he was being stalked wouldn't leave him, and a chill shot down his spine. He turned, illuminating the area behind him, but he found nothing. Only his imagination playing tricks on him. Although he had turned, the sensation the darkness gave him didn't leave, and the feeling of being watched was renewed. Sighing with trepidation, he glanced at the dead swinub before turning back down the cave.

Before he entered, he shone his light down it again, this time spotting the hint of distant stalagmites and stalactites as the tunnel grew smaller, looking like the accepting maw of a beast. He took another deep breath, fearing the lack of back up as he set forth. He walked through the ever narrowing tunnel until it almost skimmed his head. Standing at six feet, the ranger frowned and only trusted the sensation of the ceiling being so close to guide him from hitting his head. Sensations betrayed him in the darkness, though. As the feeling of eyes sent another shiver through the ranger.

He shone his flashlight over the stalagmites, contemplating his route to avoid the low hanging stalactites that formed a maze. He looked down at Quen, and gave her a small nudge with his foot to get her attention. The tense quilava looked up to her trainer.

"Little light, Spout?" he asked his pokemon, who complied with a small surge of weak flame, acting like a torch. He had wished he didn't need to ask this of her, as the energy required could be better used against the sneasel, but the apprehension in his gut began to play at his mind. He looked behind him again, only finding the slowly expanding tunnel behind him. No shimmers, no walking silhouettes, just empty space.

He turned back, feeling the sweat begin to run down his temple in the cold air, and began to move his way slowly through the caverns make-shift maze. Pulling himself through tight formations of rock and ducking under the pointed ends of the cave's teeth. He could see his surroundings thanks to Quen, but he felt exposed still. If something were to attack him now, he would have no space to maneuver, and his crossbow had no room to be used.

SC

"That's good. I've almost gotten all the ice," Amy relayed to her helper.

Zach nodded, and continued to speak to the ryhorn, who's eyes continually winced with each shard of ice pulled by the nurse. The bleeding had almost stopped, only now leaking from the holes left as Amy removed the ice, holes that she quickly sprayed disinfectant on. Each time resulting in a groan from the rock-type. In his time at its side, Zach had concluded this particular ryhorn to be old, living most of its lengthy life span in the deep roads. His mind ran with theories as to why it had wandered so close to the surface, the leading theory being that it was close to evolving and wandered in search for the right materials to ingest for a proper growth.

He was thrown out of his reverie by a commotion at the cave's entrance. The field assistant turned his head, feeling a single rain drop on his nose. He quickly turned back to the ryhorn, and produced the raincoat he had purchased in Cherrygrove, throwing it over the rock-types head and covering its shoulders.

Amy did the same to its rear end, giving the pokemon the appearance of a tent as the cloaks ran over its tall ridges.

They both sighed at once, feeling the rain drops quicken and impact their armour. Zach looked over to Amy with pity at her lack of hood, He stood, playing with the the straps of his armour as he glanced over towards the cave's entrance again. He paused and watched the scene of a middle aged man laying on the ground with a bleeding leg.

"I think you're about to get busier," the field assistant told the nurse.

Amy poked her head out from under the cloak, her brow furrowed with confusion. She followed his gaze towards the scene, and her mouth hung hung. "Damn. I can't handle both at once."

"I can head over there if you want."

Amy shook her head. "His bleeding's stopped. You stay with him and I'll see what's wrong," she said as she stood from the sheltering cloak, shivering from the cold rain. "I think he likes you anyways," she concluded with a warm smile, which was half hidden under her grimace from the cold drops of water.

"Well, if you're going to be exposed then take my jacket," Zach suggested as he fidgeted with his armour. "The last thing you want out of this is a cold."

Amy shook her head. "I'll be fine, but thank you."

Zach stopped, and didn't say anything, only raising his eyebrows to her to ensure her certainty. She too didn't reply as she began to walk over towards the gaggle of the guards by the cave.

Zach sighed and shrugged, returning his attention towards the injured pokemon. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a moving shape. Fast and approaching. He stood, his fingers snapping at Leo, who came to his side at the moments notice. Through the light rain, came the silhouette of a dodrio, and the man on which she belonged to.

Zach didn't think he would sigh in relief to see Richard's face glide in from the dirt road, but the slowing of the pokemon, and the straight expression on the guard's face told the field assistant that the guard was in no mood for his usual quips.

The head of the outpost turned towards the approaching man, who's dodrio now walked in graceful struts across the patchy grass. "I assume you're Richard?" he called out to the new arrival.

The guard nodded, and threw his hand up in a salute as his pokemon came to a stop. "Yessir. Sergeant Richard Althid reporting. I'm sorry I'm late."

"Never mind that. We have an injured man here. He was attacked in the cave."

Richards eyes flashed, and he dismounted the dodrio with a practiced grace. With haste, he approached, spotting the man on the ground and kneeling beside him. "How did this happen?"

"Sneasel," the woman named Mary replied. "Damn ranger hesitated on his shot and it attacked Geralt."

Richard nodded. "I have a sneasel. Let me see if I can help with the wound."

Mary nodded, and removed her hand from the bleeding wound, much to the protest of Geralt. Richard leaned closer, examining the marks. The wound was a narrow semicircle the length of his hand across. His brow furrowed, and he sat back, confusion and contemplation clear on his features.

"What's wrong?" The elder guard asked.

Richard looked at the wound again. "This is a bite mark."

"And?"

"Sneasel don't bite."

SC

Adrian entered the cavern, hearing the distant clicking of rocks and soil as they fell over each other, disturbed by something. He shone his flashlight towards the disturbance, and saw the end of something move. A shadow cast over the walls, small, bipedal, and quick.

He froze, maintaining his light on the single spot. The light then dimmed, and flickered. Reducing the heavy yellow glow to a dull orange. His battery had begun to run out of charge after a full week of traveling, and it had picked this moment to die.

"Fuck me," he hissed at himself as his grip on the flashlight tightened in frustration. He closed his eyes, a meaningless task in the deep reaches of the cave. Then an idea hit him, he remembered the illuminating effect of the orb in his room in Cherrygrove. That cold blue tone that emanated from only a fraction of the material. He grinned, removing his backpack and placing his crossbow beside him. No more than an arms length, just as his training taught him.

He unzipped the side pack by Quen's light, and produced the cloth covered object. He uncovered the object, soaking the area ten feet around him in a calm blue. He looked around, feeling the ridges of calm enter his mind, like a blanket against a cold night.

He threw his backpack over his shoulders again, and smiled to his pokemon. "You can relax now," he said with a confident grin. Quen snorted, and a small plum of smoke exited her nostrils before her fire cut out.

He stood in the feint glow, scanning his immediate surroundings. Then he began to walk against the wall, peering into the open room as little as he was allowed. He looked down the Quen, who remained close, but sniffed at the ground. The ranger stopped again, slowly scanning the ten feet in front of him. He stopped, and the sensation of eyes returned, even in the calming blue glow of the orb.

A sharp feeling of cold wind caressed the hairs on the back of his neck, and he froze in place. His skin paled and he stiffened. The breeze came again, hitting his neck like a blanket of ice. Ice that panted, with each breath beginning to be accompanied by a tense feline growl. His heart began to quicken, and he took one deep quivering breath.

The ranger closed his eyes, and slowly turned his head, making sure his movements were slow. The sneasel's face appeared three feet from his, slowly fading into his eye's focus as the light began to bounce off of its shape, revealing large red eyes that intensely stared into the ranger. Eye contact that Adrian did not dare break. He stared at the predator, with a pounding heart, and shaking breath. His hope was to display fearlessness. Their instincts drove them to respect the bold.

The sneasel inched forward, his claws hooked on the edge of the small ledge he nimbly balanced on, and a quiet threat snapped out of his mouth. A hiss that carried a frigid sensation over the ranger's face, exposing his small teeth like tiny ice picks. Adrian had now decided he should have taken that shot.

Then the scene became a flash of fire, and Quen barked, her back ablaze and her teeth bared to the feline. The sneasel broke his focus from Adrian, and began to slowly back away from the quilava, his back arced and the hairs on his back standing like frozen shards of black ice. As he backed up, the claws on his hands began to recede into his paws, leaving the half foot claws to be reduced to three inches.

_'That's it,'_ Adrian thought as his trembling hands slowly rose his crossbow. _'Good girl.'_

The sneasel was in Adrian's sights, and his red eyes flashed in his direction, glaring behind him and backing against the wall. Another bark, which sounded like a course gargling, echoed through the cave, and a surge of water flew out of the darkness, slamming into Quen with a painful yelp. Her fire cut, and she impacted the wall with a thump, struggling to stand.

Illuminated only by the feint blue glow, Adrian spun his head in her direction, watching her impact the wall. "Quen!" he called out in a panic, taking his sight off the sneasel. The ranger went to take a step forward, but he paused, freezing in place as the stressed whining rose from the sneasels mouth. The sweat hadn't reached the bottom of his ear before the wild pokemon was on top of him, his arms stretched out like scissors as it sprung.

They both impacted the ground with a thump, and Adrian could only cover his face as the terrified pokemon lashed at him with wicked claws fully extended. The attacks were furious, each slash leaving a new dent or gash in his chest armour. Flakes of ice stuck to the fabric like velcro. He couldn't hear anything but the wailing cries of his attacker, which became more and more intense the faster he slashed at his new prey.

_'I should have taken the shot,' _was what ran over and over in the rangers mind, who caught one slash on his forearm, and cried in pain.

In the silhouette of that forearm, he saw the wall illuminate with an orange hue, which intensified as the barking of Quen interrupted the sneasel's onslaught. The quilava jumped at the sneasel, catching the ice-type cat in her fire filled jaws.

The two landed, with Quen pinning the small animal in her tight grip. Her neck tensed, and her head twisted as hot saliva dripped down the sneasel's arm, resulting in high pitched cries of pain that formed with Quen's savage growling.

Adrian took this opportunity, and grabbed his crossbow.

Before Quen could lurch her head any more, another missile of water shot from the shadows, impacting her in the ribs with a small crack. Adrian's heart fell as he watched her fire cut when she slammed into the stone a second time.

He spun, firing a random shot where he believed the water-type to be, before lowing his crossbow and running to Quen's side. He didn't pay mind to the sneasel, who had begun to rapidly back into the shadows. It gave a small hiss before its form became distorted and blotchy, as though the human eye could tell something was there, but the light from it refused to give the eye the information it needed. It spun and vanished into the shadows, narrowly dodging a pulse of water aimed for the cat.

Adrian watched the water fly, and he skidded to a stop, pulling the pin on his crossbow to pull the string back and allow another bolt to slide into the exposed barrel. He rose his weapon again, but was met with a shot to the chest that knocked the air out of his lungs, and sent him flying like a broken fire hydrant. He landed, and his head pounded.

In his mind, he felt a sensation, almost like a calling. It felt dimmer and dimmer the more he focused on it, and his eyes shot open to find that the orb had begun to roll down a decline, carrying with it the only light the ranger had in the large room.

The reason for its importance had never been known to the ranger, but the fact that it needed to be taken to Elm was enough for Adrian to attempt to stand.

From the shadows, two people exchanged a nod, and a shorter shadow sprinted into the battlefield with light footsteps that barely echoed. He watched it duck, and a hand scooped the orb with a practiced grace. In the edges of the glow, Adrian could make out a feminine mouth tucked in a frown, and the glow of blue eyes that didn't focus on the ranger. She simply spun around and sprinted again behind a ridge of rocks.

Then the room became lit for a brief moment, and a crack of thunder erupted inside the cave as the air expanded and collapsed, causing the cave's walls to shake. In that brief flash, he caught the glimpse of another face, which sent a shiver down his spine. In the glance he could pick up a young man, who's wild blue eyes matched his other assailant only in colour. While hers were focused and impersonal, his gave every impression of taking personal pleasure in the attack.

Then he heard a Sinnoean accent order an attack, and any confusion he had about the motivation of the onset dropped like a stone into a ravine. He heard the gargling sound again, and braced for the impact, but instead of a shot of water, the sounds of pain erupted from the shadows, and the blind ranger could only listen.

What followed was the high pitched wailing of the same pokemon who had pinned him a moment before, and a deep chill went down his spine as he recalled the wild eyes of the predator he had fallen victim to. He imagined its rending claws cutting into whatever cried in pain.

Another flash filled the room, and he could see the attack clearly now. An orange dog writhed around wildly as the sneasel's claws dug into its side and pulled upwards, causing a heavy flow of blood to spill on the stone. He had found his respect for the wild animal as the brief flash showed him the sneasel's potential.

The cause of the flash congealed fully, leaving the room in darkness again. The moment the light left, a whipping sound cracked, and he heard the yelp of the dog and the cry of the sneasel, who now sailed through the air. He only heard it land with a thump, and the sound of his heavy crossbow sliding across the stone.

He needed that crossbow, and he darted towards it, his body armour clanking heavily. Before he could make the distance, he felt the ground by him rumble, and a large head impacted him in the side, knocking him over and standing over him like an obsidian executioner. He could make out the faintest feature of large fangs, and the hissing from the giant snake made the skin on Adrian's face go white.

The seviper opened its mouth slowly, sounding like toxic air escaping a balloon with the deepest reaches of vomit. It pulled its head backwards and the sound of a bubbling regurgitation warned of what was to come next.

Adrian closed his eyes and repeated the phrase. _'I should have taken the shot.'_

But what would that have changed? Had he taken the shot then what? This man had likely followed them for miles before this attack, and what would stop him from dong the same thing later on? The only solace he could take was that his wife was not here with him, and she was in the safety of a man he learned to trust.

Another flash of fire erupted from where Quen had hit the wall, and two embers flew, one hissing past and the other impacting the seviper in the back of the head. The snake had no time to even turn before a full wash of fire impacted the area below its head, and sent the smell of burnt rubber as its hide blistered under the heat. It flexed and coiled its tail, impacting Quen and sending her into the cave's wall. The area became dark.

The monster returned its focus to the ranger. It's single eye was a slit, and it hissed into Adrian's face, sending flecks of acidic saliva against his cheeks. Adrian closed his eyes, thoughts of Amy and his parents entering his mind with the usual course of a river flowing downstream. This was a stupid plan from the beginning.

'_I should have taken that shot,'_ he thought in defeat. In a flash, his memories went from his time in the wilderness, to his time in the training corp. He wondered what his best friends from his time there were doing now. Likely bickering at each other as two people from completely different lives would.

He had always believed himself to be strong, and that he could stand up against any torrent that would fall on him. It was a world were the strong preyed on the weak, and those who fell under would never see the surface again. At least, not in the middle of nowhere, and certainly not under a blanket of shadow. As he looked through that darkness, the single red eye pierced him, and he smiled. The irony of it all was that he expected to survive at least two weeks after graduation.

He strained his eyes tighter against the caustic breath, and accepted his fate. He knew his wife would be safe with Zach, at least he was strong enough to get her back to the city. The city where the lights blocked out the stars, and sheltered its people in the concept of security. Those lights that filled the dark streets, and lit the paths for him on his nightly jogs. The light that ensured a traveler that sanctuary was around him. Through his eyelids, he could see the world turn red as the same kind of light surrounded him.

He reflexively covered his eyes with his forearm, feeling the scaly snout of his killer on his elbow. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the room descended into chaos. Around him flashlights flooded the the room with light that acted as a simulacrum to the same safety found inside Violet's walls, and his heart raced. His ironic smile became genuine, and he threw his best left hook into the distracted seviper's left jaw.

The snake's head lurched to the side, and the ranger's jaw dropped at the concept that any human could have the power to even budge a monster like this. The sensation was short lived when he saw a shard of ice protruding from the beast's side, the true reason for the lurch. He turned to find a large sneasel, who's muscles rippled as it breathed heavily from the expended energy.

The trained sneasel shot forward silently, holstering its desire to scream. The pokemon's wicked claws erupted from its paws as it leaped into the air, and latched onto the exhausted seviper's head with a slicing motion.

From the room's entrance, he saw the two he led before, their faces twisted in pure concentration as their crossbows fired bolt after bolt towards the trainer, who took cover on the other end of the room. Beside him, the injured dog limped forward, and its neck expanded with another impending blast of water.

Braving the wild tail of the harassed snake, he scrambled to a stand. He lunged for his own firearm, catching it, raising it, and firing it at the orange dog-like weasel. The bolt impacted the injured pokemon, and he felt the ting of guilt hit him as it slumped to the ground with a defeated yelp followed by water that drained from its mouth like a leaking faucet.

After the successful shot, he heard a bellow of anger that resonated over the sounds of the clashing animals, and an arm protruded from behind the enormous stalagmite on the far end of the room. A red beam of light erupted from the capsule in his hand, and the battle between the seviper and the sneasel ended as the large beast was dissolved into red energy.

At once, the room became silent as it filled with five guards, each with their crossbow raised. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the chamber, growing more and more distant as his assailant fled.

When the tension in the room broke, Adrian took a deep breath, and slumped to the ground when his legs became too shaky to stand on. His chest rose and fell, and his heart beat in his chest like a drum. Tears welled in his eyes, tears of relief, but also of regret as he looked over to Quen, who's body slowly turned as the quilava attempted to stand. "Easy, baby," the ranger told his pokemon as he rested his head against the stone. _'Amy sees you like that, I'll have a whole other storm to endure.'_

A pair of boots appeared in front of him, and he looked up to the subtle pride of Richard, who's straight face showed a new side of the guard, but with eyes that said that he was the same old goof.

A goof to which Adrian owed his life.

The guard held out his hand to the trembling ranger. "Greenhorn, huh?" he said before his smile returned. "Welcome to the life."

Adrian blinked at the hand, but slowly took a grip of it. "I owe you," he said as he shook his head. When he stood, his face was in disbelief. "How did you know I needed backup?"

"Your wife. What a catch, by the way," he said with a wink as he placed his hand on the top of his sneasel's head. "She took one look at the wound, and knew it was a canine. No wild dogs in these caves, so our other conclusion was that a trainer was in here causin' mischief." His face fell straight as he turned to observe the corpse of the strange and foreign pokemon on the other end of the room. "Guess that's the culprit, huh? Whoever that man was used it to attack Geralt. Poor guy's lucky it got disinfected so quickly." He looked back to Adrian. "How's the beast?"

Adrian nodded. "She's been through worse. The old dog's gonna be fine." He rolled his shoulders and reached for her pokeball with a still shaking hand.

"I wasn't talkin' about the quilava," Richard replied as he nodded his head towards the wild sneasel.

The small cat laboured to hold himself up, but his wild eyes met Adrian with a sense of respect. Even as the older and stronger sneasel stalked over to inspect the wounds, he remained focused. Though he shook, he remained standing upright, and his chest rose and fell.

"I know what you're thinking, and I recommend it," Richard continued. "I've seen that look before, and it was the beginning of a great partnership. It looks skittish and young, but that's what a trainer is for, right?" he said with crossed arms and a grin.

Adrian's face straightened. "Damn thing tried to rip me apart."

Richard laughed, and smacked the ranger on the shoulder. "Then you know it's got that instinct. Your job was to kill it, right? I think taking it with you's the better alternative."

Adrian remained silent. Instead he stared at the young dark-type, who's eyes looked into his despite the incessant nudging of his older counter part. There was a warrior in him, told by the flame in his eye. A born killer, hell bent on fighting, yet still not old enough to know true bravery. The ranger was once like that. A coward in a dangerous place. That had changed, and he had only others to thank.

A long, exhausted breath left his nostrils, and he twisted the lens of an empty pokeball as Quen watched with interest.

SC

The clouds continued their unrelenting torrent, washing at Zach's face and soaking right through his jacket. He had felt the same sensation many times, but only once before was it in this position, standing over a resting animal who rested its life in his hands.

He looked up and down the ryhorn's hide, studying his ridges, observing the dents in his hide that told of past battles with both predator and kin. In the corner of his eye, he saw Amy who had taken to sitting on the wet ground as soon as the procedure had been finished. Her eyes were tired, and full of worry.

He turned towards the cave, anticipating the contingent of guards to emerge, but nothing came.

"He can't take much more of this rain," Amy spoke over the downpour. "He's not fully covered."

Zach replied with a grunt, and slowly ran his hand over a spot on the wet hide of the pokemon. "The rain won't do much to him. It's just the wound that needed to be covered."

Amy nodded. "He needs someone to help him. He might end up dead otherwise. He's grown to trust you in such a short time, you know. You saved his life."

Zach looked to the woman, his brow cocked.

"Can you watch him?" she asked as she hugged her knees tighter, her armour sliding against her jeans. "He's strong, but he needs someone there with him. Someone else who can fight." The look in her eyes was absent from the current situation, though she looked at the pokemon in front of her, her thoughts were elsewhere.

"Amy..." Zach said softly as he approached her and knelt beside her. "You're not talking about the ryhorn, are you?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she shivered in the rain. Her wedding ring stood out from the bleak mood of the mud and grass, cutting the dark mood with its shine.

Zach sighed. "I made a promise like that years ago. It's remained on the table since I was eight." He said as he looked over to Leo, who stood vigil in the torrent. "It extends to anyone who needs it."

"Good," she replied quietly with a faint smile. "I get so worried about him. He's not cautious. At all. Can I be honest with you?"

Zach nodded. "You have been nothing but honest," he said with dry humour.

She snuffed a single laugh. "I think the only reason we found you was because he couldn't let it go. He has a gut feeling and he goes with it, so he left the road and wandered directly towards the only sounds of danger we heard in the four days we traveled. He's a damn idiot," she said, finishing with a sigh and another shiver.

The ryhorn shifted under his covers, catching both of their attention. A long and contemplative moment passed by, and Zach stood, remembering his actions in Cherrygrove when Adrian had been attacked.

"He and I are a lot alike. I probably would have done the same," he said "It can't be helped. Some people are just born to protect and save, to throw caution to the wind and just say 'screw it.' Those people are strong," he said with a feint smile. "Those people are also stupid, but that's what it takes. The only thing that stops us most of the time are the consequences."

"Yeah..." she meekly responded. Her thoughts were driven from the conversation, hidden under the blanket of worry that had plagued her since the first time she saw the life Adrian wanted. The bonds he had made with two of his training partners, and their ambitions that reflected the gravity of her husband's aspirations. Zach watched her expression, and felt a tug he had been felt since the day he lost his father.

He sat down next to her, and crossed his legs before leaning forward. "Did I ever tell you why I made that promise?"

Amy shrugged.

He nodded. "When I was eight, my father died. He was an archaeologist, and bandits attacked his wagon on his way home from a dig. He was a smart man, and I had so many questions I wanted to ask him." His smile remained against the cold rain. "I was inspired by him constantly, and I made books my life. After his death, though, I became a fighter. I told myself that no one else needs to feel the same pain that I did, and so Leo and I trained. I know what it feels like to lose someone close, and I'll be damned if I allow that to happen to someone else. Not if I can prevent it."

Amy's eyes had widened at the news, and she rose her head from her knees, looking at the field assistant with surprise and pity. "I'm so sorry," she said as she sat upwards. "I had no idea."

Zach shook his head, holding his hand up at his friend. "It's ok. It was long ago, but it's made me who I am."

"I think he'd be proud," she said through another shiver. "I'm not sure how he would feel about you wanting to leave us behind, though."

Zach grunted. "Sorry about that. It's a conflict of philosophies. What I want isn't always the best option."

The nurse nodded, and her attention turned to the resting pokemon. "What's the best option for the big guy?"

Zach scanned the large pokemon. "You're talking about him this time, right?" he asked as he pointed to the rock-type.

Amy nodded, smiling at the humour the field assistant showed even in the hard rain.

"I'll tell you what," Zach said as he fished into his backpack. He produced a red sphere that glowed like her ring. "This big guy likes us. Wouldn't it be cruel to leave him here, and misuse his utility? Look at him, large and strong." He directed her gaze towards the rock-type. "There is a story of an old body guard who protected the first king of Sinnoh, the same king who took Orre's territories on the continent. His name was Reiner Hildas, legend said he could lift a mountain," Zach laughed as he stood. "Not sure if this guy could do that, but he could break down walls for sure." He twisted the capsule's lens, and the pokeball shot outwards, hitting the pokemon's hind leg with a ping. It dissolved into a red light, and the ball twitched once.

There was no acquiescence in the ryhorn's capture, when the ball stopped twitching it was genuine. Amy watched with curious eyes as their rain coats dropped to the ground, and rested like blankets over the broken wood.

The trainer walked over to the pokeball, and held it up to his smiling face. "Reiner will help me carry that promise to you, Amy. Your husband will be safe under him. And the professor... Reiner will help with that too. He'll break down some walls, and if this challenge is a mountain to climb, then we sure as hell can ease the burden by his strength." His grip tightened around the ball. "He can handle it, I'll teach him to."

Zach knelt over to pick up Amy's red rain coat, but he stopped as his ears picked up voices over the rain.

A commotion arose around the cave, and the two spun around to see through the rain. Out of its mouth came a band of slow moving travelers, and a familiar form that emerged with a limp. The brunette went wide eyed, and instantly broke into a sprint. Zach simply smiled and turned for their ran coats.

"Ranger," the large guard said as he moved under his own rain coat. "I heard you had a bit if a spill in there. Care to debrief?"

Adrian nodded, shifting under his own green cloak. "Long story, can we get inside fir-" As he spoke, his attention was taken by the slender woman who ran out of the rain, and who had cut his sentence short with a long kiss. He smiled as he kissed her back, feeling her shiver as he held her. Instinctively, he threw his cloak over her, wrapping her in his warmth.

The man in the raincoat cleared his throat, and glanced over to Richard, who's expression had become one of comical joy. "Yes. We're glad you're ok. We can go inside, and you three are free to stay the night, or until this storm passes."

Adrian tapped Amy on the back, and she pulled away, remaining close enough to stay under the cloak.

In the distance, Zach watched the scene, thankful he had stayed. He looked west again, this time being unable to see as far as the fields behind the outpost. He looked back, and saw the group begin to make their way to the two story shack, that poor excuse for an outpost. He looked at his new pokemon's pokeball, and smiled as he began to wander to the same door his friends took.

In the back of his mind, the chains of his duties pulled at him. Even as he slowly wandered towards the warm shelter of the building, his gut told him to brave the storm, and to save Elm at any cost. Inside him was a conflict of ideology. One that said to keep going, and weather the torrents, and another that said to take it slow, and wait for the rain to give way to the more conducive path.

* * *

**No traveling, but team building, my friends! I'm talking pocket monsters to fend off those naughty cultists and savage beasts. World got you down? How about a one ton rhinoceros made of stone! Mean kitty's trying to kill you? Shut up and stuff it in a pokeball!**

**-Serious Tone-**

**It's going to be a challenge to balance both the story of Elm, and the story of how Adrian tames this wild and snappy dark-type. I might give them more pokemon, but I have the idea that a full team of six would be too distracting for these pressed-for-time travelers. **

**Lastly, sorry the chapter's so long. There was so much I wanted to add in that I just threw compression to the wind. I make no guarantee that it won't happen again. **


	11. The City of Sky

**Hey, guys. Sorry this chapter took four months to get out. I'm not going to give you guys a deluge of excuses as to why this took so long. All I'll say is working full time, moving, and Malware had something to do with it. **

**Cheers.**

* * *

The rain pattered against the window with the same rhythm as the crackling of the open fire that warmed the small and cramped room. Zach, feeling the repeated tapping of Leo's folded tail on his foot, remained taciturn as he watched the gray clouds glide over the darkening sky. In his uncomfortable situation, the survivalist wished the weather would allow him the opportunity to leave his awkward position, and get away from the sounds of his bickering companions. He wouldn't have to go far, the door to the outside was directly behind him, but even the radiance of the cool air from behind the door was enough to dissuade him.

Instead, he slouched over the table, peering idly into the cup of warm brown fluid he had been given in the middle of Adrian's debriefing. A brown murky substance that tasted like walnut and dirt. Even though he had no pleasure in the taste of the drink, the chance for something that even resembled a luxury couldn't be turned down.

Silence was one of those luxuries he had been denied tonight.

"Why the hell would you go so far into the cave alone? You knew something was watching you."

"I didn't think it was a trained bueez- bweez-"

"Buizel," Zach corrected with an uncomfortable mumble.

"That, yeah. I thought it was a feral, hun. I figured me and Quen could handle it."

"You almost died."

Adrian paused as he felt the tension in his shoulders build. He broke his gaze from his wife's concerned aggravation and hung his head over the table. He released his breath in one long sigh. "Yeah, that," he said in a regretful and low tone. "None of that would have happened if I took the shot."

Hearing the undertone of shame in her husband's voice, she leaned back against the wall which the table nearly pinned her against. "I just want to see you be more careful," she said as the sternness in her voice loosened. "I'm not giving you a hard time for the call you made."

"Hm," Adrian agreed. The ranger straightened his back, feeling his shoulders loosen up with the motion. "I did catch the bugger," he added, with heightened morale, as he began to idly swirl his own beverage. Zach noted that optimism in the ranger's eyes again, much to his envy.

"A dark-type," Amy added as she crossed her arms over her chest. "That's like holding fire."

The corner of her husband's mouth twitched. "Actually, Quen's more like-"

"You know what I meant," she deflected, breaking her attention from the conversation in favor of staring at the less aggravating table. Her husband had a way of cheering himself, sometimes to her vexation.

"A dark type is a lot of responsibility," Zach interjected, breaking from his silence as he noticed the welcomed shift in mood.

Adrian slowly nodded as his gaze drifted towards the window and the world beyond. "A sneasel is a good pokemon accordin' to Richard. I saw what his pokemon can do." His face fell. "I just think..." He trailed off as his thoughts lingered in the cave, and the orb which had been of some importance to his attackers.

Zach cocked an eyebrow at the sudden shift of mood, and shot a concerned glance to Amy. She leaned forward, placing her hand tentatively on the ranger's.

"You ok?" Her eye brows raised as she stared into his absent gaze.

Adrian sighed and shook his head. "Just..." he breathed as he laced his fingers through his wife's. "It was a close call, I won't lie, Amy. Richard barely made it in time to help. I don't think I should have gone ahead."

"D'uh," she shot back genially.

"You have a bad tendency of running ahead of the group. Leaving yourself vulnerable," Zach said with a nod.

Adrian rose his head slowly, as if he needed to give himself time to process the pedagogy idea. "Maybe..."

Zach shook his head. "Not maybe, it's a fact. In Cherrygrove, you ran ahead to grab Elm's glasses, and made yourself a target. It sounds like you made the same mistake today. What you could have done was waited, or gone back with the others to assemble a bigger party." He rose his cup to his face. "I would have accompanied you had you done so," he said before he began to drink.

Adrian perked. "Yeah? You'd have done that?" he said with heightened spirits.

Zach lowered the cup heavily, impacting the table with a hollow smack that made Amy jump in her seat. "Of course. You said a seviper attacked you. One eye, monsterous size. You might not know it, but that same seviper was what attacked me before the skarmory engaged it. I think it's safe to assume we were both attacked by the same man who kidnapped Elm." His expression darkened. "If he wants us dead then we must be a loose end that he needs to tie up. Therefor we can expect that he would know something about Elm's whereabouts, and we could have worked to force him to offer that information."

Adrian's mouth twitched uncomfortably. "Violently?" he asked through a layer of trepidation.

"I see no other options."

Amy shifted in her seat. "Be careful about things like that."

Zach's hands tightened around the cup. "Would they do any better for us?"

Her eyes flashed. "We are not _them_," she said as her genial tone broke into a crescendo.

The room became silent at once. The sounds of wind and rain accompanied them like a wailing phantom. The quiet ambiance pulled at Zach, impacting him with an uneasy hollowness in his stomach.

"Hun?"

"I'm fine. Just still worked up. Sorry, Zach. Just... a rough day."

"Who are _they _anyways?" Zach asked sharply as he stood. "How do we even know it's a cult?" He began to peer into the fire and took a deep breath which did little to calm the unpleasant anger that swam in him like a dark cloud. "This is all taking way too long. I'm beginning to consider new methods."

"Like what?" The ranger asked with trepidation.

"I'm not sure. Mr. Pokemon called me Atlas, and I'm beginning to feel the weight. I don't know if I'll break under it or not." He peered deeper into the fire, watching It's long fingers flicker around the fireplace as though they looked to escape their containment, concealed so precariously that it threatened to grab hold of the room and become a destructive force outside of comfort or safety. His brow furrowed as he began to fear his own inner flame.

"Welcome to the frontier. At least he didn't stay in Ecruteak. You're job'd be twice as hard."

Zach stiffened, and he looked over to the ranger, his hazel eyes reflecting the fire. "Why was he in Ecruteak?"

"Born and raised," Adrian said. "I think he mentioned that he left to study with Professor Oak."

"Maybe he visited there recently?" Amy suggested. "That's when he could have been targeted by this cult."

"If they _are_ a cult," Zach added with an impatient sigh. "This is all speculation, and we're getting nothing done here. When should be expect to reach Violet tomorrow?"

"Just, ah, after noon? 'Bout that, if we keep a good hustle."

Zach nodded "I want to get moving as soon as we can. I'm going to bed, and when I wake up I'll want to leave. And I'll want to have left _today._"

Adrian's mouth twisted to the side as Zach's tone had begun to match those who instructed him in his training. He understood the pressure they were under, and the look he saw in the Sinnoean's eyes matched the one he would catch in his companions while his training regiment had left the walls for mock patrols. There was unease and fear blended into every single one of their gazes. A face no one was free of when they first set out. Even Adrian, who had spent many nights under the stars even before the safety of Violet was was a thought to the greenhorn trainer.

He cleared his throat, and stood up, peering down the narrow hallway behind him that led to rooms barely large enough to contain the beds.

SC

The night was as unwelcoming and as dangerous as the duo that braved the storm to travel west. Nothing could be seen through the layer of rain that swarmed around them like a curtain, hiding the nocturnal inhabitants as they wearily eyed the group.

The girl looked to the sky, watching the rain impact and trickle down an invisible canopy that hovered over her like an umbrella. Beside her was her pokemon, who's golden fur dripped and stuck against the humanoid's small frame.

The trained pokemon watched the road ahead of them. Needing only his thoughts to detect any threats. His physical focus was on the man who walked in from of them with clenched fists and tense shoulders. He watched him with earned distrust, ready to protect his trainer should her brother choose that moment the snap at her. With time, he eased off Harmin and eyed Jamie, seeing her shiver under his canopy.

She caught his glance, and looked back at the kadabra, spotting the sense of intelligence that she could never put her finger on. It was an awareness that worked differently than her own, visible by the glint in his eyes. It was like a shining gem under an ocean, where the source of the reflected sunlight couldn't be spotted by the eye alone. With the mysterious stare, came a fragment of a thought, who's origins did not lay in her own mind. It was implanted by her pokemon with an accompanying sensation, a single word that sounded like a child learning to speak.

_'Regret?'_ he asked her. It didn't feel like an actual word, but more of the edges of an idea.

She furrowed her brow, and hugged herself tightly against the cold night. "Of course not," she replied as she felt the blue orb against her thigh.

"What was that?" Harmin shot out as he irritably spun around and stopped. His halt commanded the two others to do the same at the sight of his livid eyes.

"Just Keva asking if I had time to train him once we got back to the settlement," she lied fluently.

His eyes wildly flashed between the two. "Like hell you do," he growled as he turned around again. "Once we get the orb to Elm then we'll be back to hunting those pieces of shit. Four attempts, and every time we were chased off."

Jamie quietly sighed and the group continued down the dark path. "At least we didn't fail the main objective. That's the important thing," she offered. "We have a schedule to keep. The orb's priori-"

He stopped and spun again. "The orb. The orb. The _orb_. _Fuck the schedule!_ If I had my way, I'd have taken the time to let Svein kill everyone in that outpost. _Tonight! _It would be done already!"

His sister continued to walk, feeling a chill run down her spin as she walked passed him. "If you had your way, then your seviper would have made a scene in the middle of Cherrygrove after Ulu's failed attempt. We need to be more covert than that, Harmin. We'll get them eventually."

Harmin clenched his fists to a painful degree. "Keva can tear that girl apart when the time comes. Svein gets Pine and the ranger."

She sighed. "They're all yours," she said as she eyed Keva, feeling the same message given to her a second time.

_'You've been hanging around Uncle Keith too much,' _she informed her companion.

SC

The early morning air sent a chill through Zach as he opened the door to reveal the cloudless morning. His dreams had been nonexistent that night, leaving him with an odd dread. It wasn't as though he missed the dreams, but his search for their meaning had been ground to a halt. As a man of science, Zach was one to always seek the answer.

He he took a step out, the fresh air became momentarily interrupted by a long string of smoke that vanished into the fog, leaving behind a harsh sensation in his nose. The tobacco smoke streamed from the cigarette of Richard, who leaned against the wall beside the door. His expression was different than normal, distant and thoughtfull.

"Good morning," Zach offered with a forced smile.

"Mornin," Richard said absently as he breathed out another plum of smoke.

Zach leaned against the wall on the other side of the door from him, staring at the mouth of the cave through the early morning mist.

"This doesn't make sense," Richard said.

"What's that?"

"This," He said as he held out his hand towards the mouth of the cave, and the few crossbow wielding guards who were idly sitting in front of it. "Us. Why the hell're we out here? Ain't much use for a guard in a place like this. This is ranger's work. Shit, even then I'd care to know why Augustus's findin' this place so interesting. Nothin' going in there but a stray sneasel and a rhyhorn." He dropped his cigarette to the ground, and snuffed it out without his eyes leaving the cave. "This ain't a guard's job, man. I heard they shriveled like a cold dick when that ryhorn came outta the cave." He shook his head. "This is the post they probably give the less than ambitious. The trouble makers."

Zach nodded slowly at the rambling. "Why were you posted here then? You're a sergeant with a well trained pokemon. That sounds like ambition."

Richard leaned his head against the wall. "Keep this between us, but Amy'd be right if she said this was a punishment for Joey."

Zach crossed his arms over each other as a breeze from the lake chilled him. "I need to be honest, I'm not opposed to your methods."

"No?"

"No. The strong prey on the weak. The weak become strong to fight back, and they learn something in the process."

"What's that?" the guard said with piqued interest.

"A bully can teach you a lot about what kind of person you are. A fighter, a pushover, a recluse. In Sinnoh, everything's safe enough that bullies are frowned upon. Here in Johto, though, I can see the necessity of being poked at."

Richard's eye reflexively shot towards the leafeon that laid curled up around Zach's feet, and the pokeball that held Riley. "My thoughts exactly. I had a bully when I was a little kid too. Joey's a good kid, and I'd like to be seen as some kind of mentor to him. Problem is that there're so many threats to Rosemount that a crash course is the only way."

Zach responded with a grunt. "It didn't look like an easy place to live."

"Ah, but it's home. My place as well as Joey's to defend." He smiled, but it was short lived. His attention receded into his mind, playing at the memories that motivated him.

Zach stood in silence for a moment as he watched the guard from the corner of his eye. He knew the look. "There's something more to it, isn't there?"

Richard's eyes twitched at the question, but his expression returned to its somber neutrality. "Nothin' gets passed you, eh?"

"Sorry if it's goading, but you seem protective of Joey."

Richard closed his eyes, and patted his hand thoughtfully against the wall he leaned on. "He's the same way my little brother was," he said as his eyes slowly opened. "Full of spirit, lovin', always seein' the best in things." He chuckled. "Shit, Adrian kinda reminds me of him too."

"So, you respect Joey?"

Richard nodded. "The kid's got heart. I just don't want him sharin' the same fate as my brother. The ursaring that came into the town-" He stopped. "Well... you get the idea."

Zach winced. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said quietly as he eyed the satchel that hung around him, peering through the bag and to the document.

The door between them opened. Adrian emerged with a hearty stretch as he took a deep breath of the cool morning air. "Mornin', fellas."

Richard replied with a nod and a grunt, but Zach remained still as he mulled over the conversation.

"Hey, Richard," the ranger said as he turned to face the guard. "I want to thank you," he said humbly.

"Say no more, say no more. It's a part of the job, man." Richard responded as a grin broke through his melancholy. "You guys're in a rush, so let's not waste time on formalities. Consider it my apology for treatin' Joey like a punchin' bag."

Adrian smirked. "That's fair."

The door opened a second time, revealing Amy as she played with the cuffs of her beige shirt. Her armour clinked as she took the final step gracefully, nodding to the men as she took in her surroundings.

The instant Zach caught sight of her, he pushed himself off the wall and threw his backpack on, feeling the weight of his travel gear and his armour in tandem. He was happy he caught a ryhorn, such a large pokemon could ease the burden of a long travel.

The group moved from the door and towards the broken palisade, a legacy of Reiner's first impression.

Adrian slowly turned and outstretched his hand towards Richard. "Just don't go bullying the guards," he said with a wink.

Richard gave a reclusive smile as he glanced at Zach then back to Adrian. "Can't promise anythin'. Some of these guys need some adjustment. You smelled the sweet leaf too, right?" he asked as he gave Adrian a handshake.

Adrian's brow furrowed and his mouth tightened. "Yeah. I wouldn't mind you settin' those guys straight."

"Tell ya' what. You come back here when yer business's all done, and you'll see a difference."

The ranger responded with a quick smile as he turned to face the group. "I think we'd all like to see that."

With a final wave, Amy and Adrian set off, but Zach remained still. With Leo standing by his side, he looked back to Richard. "I'm sorry about your brother," he said tranquilly. "I lost my father when I was young."

Richard nodded. "Mesprit's heart to both of us, then. You found your strength in it, though. That's what matters," he passed off as he turned back to the outpost.

Zach said nothing as he turned and departed in order to catch up with the others. In minutes, they left the cold mist from the lake behind and entered a thick brush where the western road would take them to the Capital of Violet Region.

SC

By noon the contingent had covered a great distance, traversing large fields segregated by brief forests as they followed a cold stream westward. They eventually reached a small bridge as the road arched southwards, and the route led them until their direction returned to the west, leaving the flowing water behind.

Adrian looked to the sky to see Arcturus gliding overhead, watching his speed and condition. The trip was going to be one long training session for the skarmory, who's flight and stamina needed to be developed as early as possible, as well as learning how to follow and track the group on the ground.

Zach, despite his rush, stopped once in a while when he saw a rock, and tossed it. His idea was for Riley to land a hit on it, and discharge at the same time. Of the six times this happened, Riley had scored two hits. The field assistant even noticed the attacks took less out of the small rodent, as well as a narrowing of his ears and a small increase in size.

However, despite the micro-training of their pokemon, they maintained a quick pace. It was enough of a rush to tire even the ranger, who had been conditioned to run with even a great deal of weight on his back. Be it rut sack or human. He was a strong young man, able to carry Amy over his shoulders with ease when he wanted to mess with her, but he didn't feel like he could lift much at that time. Much to his embarrassment, he had to ask the group to stop for a rest beside a large rock that accompanied a tree.

Arcturus flew ahead, unaware that the group had stopped. His eyes were fixed on the horizon, and the only thing that could catch his attention from the long trip was the glow of fire as an ember sailed passed him. With a surprised caw, he recoiled and changed direction. He swooped around, hearing Quen's barking at him from the ground.

The skarmory's eyes become slits as he angled himself downwards. His claws shot outward, and sunk into the dirt as he landed. Quen shot forward immediately. Before he could raise his wings in challenge, Quen was just an inch from the bird's face, barking and flaring up before Arc could do so much as open his mouth. Flinching, Arc bowed his head to the quilava, shamefully scratching at the ground with placated chirps.

"Hey, HEY!" Adrian barked between breaths. "Quen, here!" After his outburst, the ranger slumped with his elbows on his knees, closing his eyes and taking deep, but quick, breaths.

The weasel turned to Adrian immediately, and trotted over with a lowered head. Zach couldn't help but notice the hierarchical display.

Amy knelt in front of him with concern, having to make room for Quen, who sniffed at her trainer with pulled back ears. Adrian only smiled through his tired features, waving his hand to them as though to say 'don't worry.' His girls worried too much, the ranger thought, but he was glad for it.

Zach, on the other hand, had his thoughts elsewhere. He folded his arms over his chest, feeling his heart beat heavily behind his armour. He took the opportunity to size up Leo, who had taken the opportunity to lie down on the dirt path. "We really can't afford to stop," he warned.

Adrian nodded in understanding, but Amy turned at the field assistant with eyes as piercing as daggers.

Zach faltered immediately under her gaze, remembering the conversation she and him had beside Reiner. He lowered his head in shame and silent apology, and took a spot on the other end of the path. He shot an empathetic glance to the skarmory and chuckled to himself at how similar they might be.

The only thing he could do was let his thoughts stray as he produced the rations for both himself and his tired pokemon. As he ate, he idly stared at the ground. ignoring the pichu that irritated Leo with his attempts to play.

He stopped in mid chew and grunted in interest at an idea. He fished Reiner's pokeball out from its temporary position on his belt. Riley stopped his antics, much to Leo's relief, and watched with interest as his trainer aimed the ball and pulled the release mechanism.

Caught off guard, Adrian and Quen both snapped to attention as the ryhorn coalesced in the middle of the road, and slumped to the ground even before he took his full shape, shaking the ground around him. When the dust settled, Zach walked to Reiner's head and knelt beside it, keeping himself well within his pokemon's vision. He slowly placed his hand at the base of Reiner's horn, stroking the rocky hide the same way he did outside of the cave. The pokemon's eyes closed as a deep and rumbling breath vibrated the ground under Zach's feet.

"Well the wound looks good," Amy said as she stood. "He might be walking by tomorrow if he gets to a pokemon centre."

Zach nodded and smiled, patting the ryhorn behind its ear, earning a grunt and a powerful nuzzle from the rock-type. Zach was knocked off his feet by the powerful animal, landing on his butt with a thud.

Leo stood in an instant, unfolding his tail and letting out a single threatening bark to the ryhorn. Reiner shifted uncomfortably at the fox's approach, shuffling his feet in an attempt to stand. His back leg wouldn't allow the heavy animal to only kick up dirt. Zach, covering his eyes from the dust cloud, called Leo off.

"That's something I'll need to get under control," Zach said as he stood while brushing off his armour.

Amy nodded as she placed a careful hand on the pokemon's side. The ridges reached her shoulder in height, even when the pokemon laid on the ground. "He seems to like you."

Zach examined the dents in the battle-worn pokemon. " I think he would have died if not for us," he said as he eyed a scar-like line of gray stone that ran vertical down Reiner's face, a small scar just beside his eyes, unnoticeable unless you were looking for it. "How's he?" he asked quietly as he nodded towards Adrian.

"He'll be ok. He's just feeling affects of the, uh," she stopped, shaking her head at what she was about to say.

"You don't have to say any more. I forgot what the doctor said in all of this commotion. Guess the stress is starting to mess with my memory," he chuckled with a shrug. "I'd offer Reiner to carry him, but he's in no condition to be ridden."

Amy nodded in understanding as she ran her hand over Reiner's trenched hide. "It'll be fine. We don't have much further to go. A bit longer, then farmland. Then home." she said, speaking to herself as much as Zach.

SC

Violet sprawled out before Zach like a blanket wedged between endless forests that stretched north and west. The city extended southwards, between two small natural elevations that only allowed a small portion of the city to reach the water. The walls around it towered over more interior fields before surrendering to flat buildings, where nothing stood taller than five stories.

Only one section of the city looked urbanized in the same way Eterna did. The northern end of the city was filled with buildings of steel and brick that stood near a tall pagoda. Everything else was made of wood. The mountainous terrain that sat to the city's east was where Zach stood and marveled at the view. Once standing by the cliff side, he immediately understood why flying-types became Violet's pride. The largest region in Johto required faster locomotion than a car or dodrio could provide.

"There it is," Adrian remarked with his hands on his hips and a smile cascading over the valley city. "Right where I left it."

Zach cocked an eyebrow, humour flying over him like the thoughts of the staraptor he focused on tracking. "The settlement? Where would it have gone?"

Adrian looked to Zach, his grin slowly fading. "It was a... Never mind," he said with a dismissing wave of his hand as he moved passed Zach and Amy to continue down the mountain path.

The trees broke at the foot of the mountain to reveal the farmlands. It wasn't a new sight to Zach, who needed to pass through Eterna's larger farms for expeditions, but to see some of the more worn down buildings left something to be desired in contrast to his well developed home town. It wasn't the burn marks that pocked the buildings closest to the field's edges, or the rocky soil that couldn't have helped the farmers. It was the air of his surroundings, the faces on the workers telling him of hardship, some even loss. He wasn't surprised to see a farmer or two with a pokeball on their belt as they wearily glanced at their surroundings.

The group pattered down the road with rows of corn on their left and wheat beginning its vast stretch to their right. As they grew closer tot he walls, things began to look more relaxed. Farmers stood by the roadside to talk while others remained dedicated to their chores. The dodrio mounted rangers rode up and down the roads, earning a salute from Adrian each time one came within view.

Finally, the settlement was in their sight.

The gate to Violet sat wide open to welcome the travelers, guarded by rangers and guards alike. As they approached, Zach noticed a small vulpine pokemon playfully patting its paws at Leo from a distance, it's five tails waving in tandem like the feathers of a peacock. He took a moment to admire the elegant appearance of the golden orange fox, and it's black playful eyes.

"Zach," Amy addressed from inside the gates. "Plenty of vulpix to gawk at in the city," she said with a tone of hast.

"Heard Nat caught one just before we left," Adrian said as he gave the posted guard a nod.

The man returned the nod with a comfortable cadence. His red hair ruffled on his head like a spearow nest if the bird had the care to groom the branches into neat strings.

Adrian handed the guard his ID. "Good afternoon, Tom," he said with a friendly smile.

"Ah, Mitsugi. How was New Bark?" he asked, barely glancing at the card.

Adrian scratched the back of his neck. "Never got that far. Things got interestin'."

The guard's smile extended. "Hell, nothing you can't handle, right?" he said with a confident laugh as he reached out the identification with a smooth movement.

Adrian took his trainer card and ranger's license in his hand, and nodded. "There haven't been any Sinnoeans causin' trouble since I left, have there?"

The guard's face shifted into a confused frown, curiously glancing at the marks on Adrian's armour. "Nothing regarding Sinnoean's in particular. No. You doin' alright?"

_'Great, so they're remaining covert,'_ Zach thought. _'We'll have to do the same.'_

"I'm fine," Adrian shot back. "There's just been some trouble in Cherrygrove on my way through."

The guard tapped his hand energetically on the desk. "No kiddin'. Trouble loves to have its way with you, doesn't it," he joked.

Adrian smirked . "At least I end up on top." He nodded to Zach, and stepped back to allow his friend access.

The field assistant, perhaps in far more of a rush than his grace allowed for, fumbled with his wallet before producing the required ID.

Tom took the card in his hand, and his brow furrowed thoughtfully at the name. "Pine, huh?" he asked.

Zach nodded.

"Had a gym member come around here lookin' for ya' yesterday. Behind schedule, are we?"

"Unfortunately," Zach replied with a breath of relief.

With a sympathetic chuckle, the guard handed Zach his ID back. "You got bad timing, bud. Gym's closed today. Augustus's oldest pidgeot passed away last night."

Adrian's eyes widened in surprise, and his face fell. "No way," he exasperated. "Seriously?"

The guard nodded. "It's the talk of the town. Old age finally took her. On the bright side, Falkner's talkin' about holding a festival in her honour. Violet never forgets her heroes."

"Still, that's too bad," Adrian offered in sympathy. "Think Falkner would want to talk to us in Augustus' place?"

The guard shrugged. "You'd be wasting your time B-lining to the gym today. If his father's in mournin', then the kid's going to have his hands full. Especially with those damn ships sitting in the bay."

Zach pinched the bridge of his nose. "We heard about them in Cherrygrove. Are they this far north?"

The guard only shrugged. "Nah, they're stayin' near the base of route thirty. As far as this humble gate guard knows. It's still too close to Cherrygrove for my liking. Sounds like that little town's having its share of problems."

Tapping his fingers on the desk in thought, Adrian turned to his wife. "What's the plan, then? Gym's closed and we have two pokemon we need to register."

Amy cleared her throat. "Could we do the apartment first? I want to get cleaned up," she said as she ran her hand through her knotted hair.

"Yeah, sure. We'll do the pokemon centre after we drop you off."

Zach furrowed his brow. "I'd like to try the gym anyways."

"New to Johto, huh?" Tom asked,drawing Zach's attention from the planning couple. "When a gym leader's pokemon dies, especially one as valued as Agustus' Pidgeot, there's a twenty four hour period where only close friends of the gym leader and high ranking members are allowed access. It's a grace period that makes mournin' easier." He leaned in closer. "And they can't rule out foul play just yet," he told the group in a whisper.

"Foul play?" Zach asked.

"It's probably not, but Violet's seen better days, especially with Cianwood poking around. Guess they just want to be safe." He leaned back in his chair, comfortably raising the volume of his voice. "You'd just be sent away, or arrested if you're stubborn." He laughed "Or killed if you're an idiot."

Zach glanced down at Leo, who returned the look with raised ears. His mouth twisted thoughtfully at the fox as his eyebrow raised to ask his pokemon a silent question.

Loe's ear's simply fell back onto his head, and he sat on his haunches. His way of saying 'it's not worth the risk." Zach had learned quickly to trust his leafeon's judgment, just as Leo trusted his. Zach sighed impatiently at his pokemon, but nodded in agreement anyway. He needed patience.

"Guess we'll just have to use today to get to the pokemon centre and gather ourselves at our apartment," Adrian planned. He turned to Tom. "Thanks for the info, sir."

Tom laughed humbly. "Sir? Buddy, you outrank me by prestige alone," he said before taking a long and smiling pause. "Still, you're a man of your word if I ever met one. Thank you for the respect."

Adrian energetically tapped his ID on his thigh before backing away towards the gate. "You deserve every ounce of it," he called out as he and the group began to enter the settlement.

"Hold up!" Tom yelled after them. They all turned, and the guard pointed to Quen. "Sorry, Adrian, but you know the law."

"Ah, she's as well behaved as a dog," he defended as he knelt and pattered her on the head.

"Law's the law. The city's mostly wood," Tom argued with a reluctant shrug.

Adrian scoffed playfully, and returned Quen to her pokeball in a flash of crimson. He turned to Zach. "After we show you around our apartment, I think I owe you a beer." He said as they set their feet onto the long dirt road that was interupted by distant buildings.

Zach's face scrunched as the group began to walk. "I'm really sorry, but there's really no time for that."

"What good are you if you overwork yourself and burn out?" Adrian shot back with a shrug.

"It's not that simple, Adrian. I can't afford to put my feet up."

"It's necessary, part of the job, right?" the ranger laughed. "If it's anything like a ranger's job then you have to let out some steam once in a while, even when everything in you screams not to."

"I think our careers are different."

"Not by much. I think you should listen to me on this one, Zach."

Zach's brow furrowed as he turned to Adrian, stopping the ranger with a tight hand on his shoulder. "He's somewhere out there, surrounded by the same group who's spent the last week trying to kill us." He stepped forward, bringing himself in front of Adrian with fiery eyes as he looked up at the taller and more built man. "All of this considered, you want to stop for a damn beer?" His voice rose, eliciting a few unwanted glances from the near-by guards. "How can I believe that you care about any of this?"

Adrain's face straightened, and anger pushed the humour out of his eyes. "Zach, I can tell you now that I've known the professor a lot longer than you have," he replied calmly. He took Quen's pokeball in his hand, and rose it into Zach's line of sight "I wouldn't be the man I am if not for him. He gave me Quen, lent me his text books, taught me how to read them. He was there when my father wasn't, and his and my family became close because of that." He stood straighter, his tone becoming direct. " It wasn't that my dad was never there for me, he was just a strong trainer in an area that needed his service. I wanted to follow in his footsteps."

"So, guess who agreed to play uncle to me while my dad worked? Hell, I think Elm'd be my official godfather if my dad had any time to say so before he left for the Isles. And guess who was there when my folks went back to defend their hometown, Zach?" He folded his arms over his chest, his brow furrowing. "He and my dad worked together to teach me everything I know about training and survival. I have faith in his ability, his resourcefulness, and his intelligence. I know he's doing whatever he can to keep himself away from harm."

Silence fell between the three, the distant caws of bird pokemon soaring over-head before vanishing over the wall as their passing disturbed the surrounding grass. Zach blinked in surprise and ambivalently set his gaze at his feet. He had always wondered why Adrian had immediately decided to travel with him, and his anger in the forest during their first meeting was suddenly justified.

He took a deep breath as his face reddened in shame. "I'm sorry," he said as he shook his head. "This entire thing has been..."

"Don't worry about it," Adrian passed off as he walked passed Zach while patting the field assistant's shoulder hardly.

Zach watched the ranger move down the road with hands in his pockets, and sighed as he continued. "I really am sorry," he told Amy as she walked with him.

She nodded. "I know. He'll be aright, just give him a minute."

Sighing, Zach nodded. It wasn't acquiescence, it was a sliver of patience. As the tension settled, he felt a wave of calm wash over him. For the first time since Elm's kidnapping, he felt a glimmer of safety, which inspired hope. "Fine, what can be done then?"

"It's not going to be easy, that's for sure" Amy frowned thoughtfully. "It's going to be trickier with Derecha's death."

Zach's feet met the dirt of Violet's outskirts. "Derecha being Augustus's pidgeot?"

A long dirt road led from the gate to a small series of buildings, where the path became shaded with awnings. Around them, the air became full of the cacophony of live stock and workers alike. Mostly, the threatening caws of dodrio and doduo who hadn't yet grown accustomed to being ridden.

"Yeah," Adrian answered as he looked over his shoulder towards the two. "She was the strongest bird the city had ever seen. Even after Sprout's Tower started teachin' Sprout's Code to the public. She had enough control to fly over a building and not disturb a shingle, and then instantly tear apart the building behind it with a single gust."

Zach grunted in annoyance. "She was your gym leader's prized pokemon?"

"Yep." Adrian said as he stopped to allow the others to catch up.

"So there's already that in the way."

"It shouldn't be a problem," Adrian offered as they became swallowed by the small cluster of houses in the field. "All you have to do is ask any of the gym members if a Ster... Ser..."

"Staraptor."

"Yeah! That thing. All we need to do is ask if a flock of them had flown over the city recently, and we'll focus on the section of the city they were flyin' towards. The gym's in the center of the city, so it's the perfect place to orientate ourselves."

Zach's eyes flashed instantly, almost bumping into a wagon full of cabbages due to the distraction. Ignoring the man's swearing, he began to build on Adrian's suggestion. "That's so simple, but it could work," he said with due respect. "But they could be working subtly in the city. It would be clumsy for them to fly right over everyone's heads."

Adrian shrugged. "No one would bat an eye. The airways are full of gym members, guards, and rangers."

"So you're saying that no one would remember a staraptor?"

"A gym member would, but not the rabble," Amy ensured. "Too many fliers for anyone to keep an eye on unless it was their job."

The buildings grew in density, and the group became swallowed by narrow roads and tight alleyways. The wooden structures towered over them, standing, at most three stories. The sounds of pokemon and tractors became replaced by the calls of merchants selling their wares and the gossip of various conversations. Overhead, power lines stretched over the streets as they crisscrossed into various buildings, and the distant ringing of a bell could be heard over the light droning of the city.

"I really hope you're right, Amy," Zach said as he shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced down at Leo, who cautiously eyed his surroundings. "It's the only information we have."

SC

"Are you guys sure you'll be ok?" Amy asked as they began to make their way up the outdoor staircase that led to the door of their second story apartment.

"I'm more worried about you,"

It was a quaint building, with a shop on the first floor that sold a variety of interesting things from around the province. The building itself was well kept, no paint chipping off the walls like most of the buildings of the city. It wasn't as though the town was decrepit. People just had more important things to do than worry about the aesthetics of a building. Perhaps its was the well kept charm of the store they lived over that kept its owner busy, happy, and wealthy.

As she reached the top of the stairs, she removed her bag and begun to fish around the smaller pockets for the key. "I mean, if last night is any indication to their target priority..." she trailed off as her eyes became doleful as she idly fished around the bag.

"We'll be fine. Me and Zach have six pokemon between us, and no one will attack us in the middle of the day."

Zach gave Adrian an incredulous glance, hinting the ranger to remember the town square in Cherrygrove. Adrian twisted his mouth and shrugged as the memory came to him, throwing his own hint through a gesture towards his concerned wife who remained focused on finding her keys through the variety of travel gear she buried them in.

Zach returned the gesture with an understanding nod. "Four actually. Reiner's in no condition to fight until tomorrow."

Finally finding her desired keys, she furrowed her brow as she stood. "That's two less," she said. "Are you talking about the sneasel?"

Zach shook his head as he pulled away the velcro held flap on his armour, exposing his three used pokeballs. A pouch he had discovered while traversing the busy streets of Violet City, where anyone could snatch his pokemon from their belt clips. "Ok, three."

"Not four?"

"I want to leave Riley in your command."

Amy paused with her hand on the doorknob, looking at Zach with surprise. "What?" she asked as the knob turned with a welcoming creak. "Why would you do that? I'm not a trainer."

They entered the apartment, being greeted by white walls and potted plants. The living room looked very homely for a young married couple on the frontier. Zach scanned the living room that was watched over by two windows, each peering directly to the roofs of the single story shops across the street.

"He's the most likely to listen to you out of our pokemon."

Adrian sighed as he took off his heavy travel bag, rolling his shoulders at the loss of weight. "Quen knows how to listen to her," he said defensively. "Fire Spout can keep her safe."

Zach turned to him with the glare one trainer gave another when they made a bad call, a furrowed brow and a fierce gaze. "You'd leave a fire-type in your home with your wife?"

Amy bit her lip in thought, setting her backpack against the entrance to their kitchen, "Quen's a little risky to use in our home, don't you think?" she agreed. "I don't have enough control over her to stop her from using her fire attacks."

Adrian shuffled uneasily, sighing as he carefully set his crossbow against the wall, his gaze becoming distant. "Guess so," he accepted quietly. "She becomes a different pokemon when she fights."

"Not to mention you would want your strongest pokemon on hand should anything go amiss," Zach added as he unhooked Riley's pokeball and handed it to Amy.

She paused, uneasily glancing between the ball, its trainer, and her husband.

He gestured for her to grab the capsule. "Riley likes you, Amy. So he'll listen to you. I promise. Just keep your eye on him, and let him discharge frequently."

She took the ball hesitantly, and peered at the dirty red orb with uncertainty. "Like I said, I'm not a trainer, Zach. I don't know the first thing about commanding a pokemon in a fight."

Zach nodded. "He's being trained by me, and I follow Sprout's Code. Trainer and pokemon work together, one leading the other. He'll guide you as much as you guide him."

Adrian, with a smile, leaned closer to the ball, catching Amy's uneasy eyes through the weak reflection of the capsule. "You've got a big job here, pal. I want perfection." Although he hosted a smile and held a tone of humour lined his words, their meaning couldn't have been more serious. He stood up, hands on his hips as he nodded towards the crossbow. "Feel free to shoot any bad guys with that," he said. "You remember how to fire it, right?"

Amy eyed the crossbow over the pokeball, examining the workings of the matte weapon. She was familiar with how the weapon worked, although she had never practiced formally with it. A shot or two in the backyard of her parent's house, when Adrian showed off his skill to the in-laws, was only supplemented by one or two lessons given by Adrian as he tried himself to memorize the functions.

"Can we..." Zach began to ask as he gestured towards the door. "The sooner Reiner's admitted the faster he can recover."

"Yeah, we should. You gonna be alright here, babe?"

Amy nodded as she put her thumb against the release tab of the pokeball. "I'm probably going to take the longest shower I ever have. I'll be just fine," she said with a smile.

"Ah, as much as good as that sounds, I wouldn't leave Riley without someone to watch him."

Her smile faded, and her mouth twisted into a frown. "Really?" she asked in disappointment.

Adrian laughed. "We'll be quick, sweetie. I doubt the little guy will give you a lot of trouble."

"You better hurry," she said as she turned from them towards two adjacent love seats.

She heard the door close behind her, and a loud sigh filled the quiet apartment. A deep tremble flowed through her like a shock wave, leaving her legs weak in its aftermath. She tensed her hand around Riley's pokeball as she began to slowly make her way to one of the couches. By the time she reached the seat, a trail of discarded armour pieces were laid in a path from the front door to where she sat.

She stared at Riley's pokeball for a while before she thumbed the release mechanism, filing the room with a brilliant light that livened the air for a moment before Riley coalesced on her coffee table.

In an instant, the tiny mouse pokemon began to curiously sniff around, leaving dirt wherever he stood as the legacy of their long journey home. Amy didn't even sigh at the mess, she had become too tired for that. She only watched the pichu continue his investigation until his attention became fixed on her.

All the tired nurse had to do was smile before Riley jumped onto her lap with a wagging tail, and she began to slowly stroke his fur as he curled up into her lap.

'_Maybe this won't be so hard after all,'_ she thought as her eyes wandered across the room into her kitchen where a cup of tea called her name.

SC

Around them, mounted rangers and carts pulled by various large pokemon filled the scene, throwing up the dust from the road and painting the buildings with a light layer of dirt. Zach covered his nose as a tauros drawn wagon moved by them with the odour of its contents flowing out from under its tarpr. As the wagon vanished into the crowd, and the passing people could breath again, Zach coughed. "The hell was that?"

Adrian grinned, internally laughing at his city-born friend. "Fertilizer," he replied as the crest of a tall building became visible over the heads of the crowd.

A large logo on the front of the white building was a minimally drawn pokeball, with the words 'Northern Violet Pokemon Centre' italicized and barely legible cursive over the display. The ceramic walls of the pokemon centre, reflected the light of the sun with a ambrosial welcome.

Zach stared at the logo as they grew closer. "Is that painted on?"

Adrian nodded. "They redo it every year," Adrian said as he pushed on the door to enter the lively hospital.

Trainers sat in the chairs, both young and old. From the young girl who sat with her parents with pig tails and a smile to the weather faced old man in dusty over-alls who read the newspaper while he waited for his pokemon's work related injury to be treated. Zach scanned the faces of some of them, knowing the difference between workers and fighters. The eyes gave it away. The worker was focused, but the fighter was hardened. A few double takes from the various fighters told Zach that he must have looked more worn than them, with bags under his red eyes and palled complexion.

One caught his eye, a woman who sat by a window. A single pokeball hung off her belt as she stared out the window with an idle smile. Some trainers failed. Others made it. She looked like a success with her matte uniform hiding under robes that suffered scratches and burn marks, but the smile on her face said that she was happy for the experiences. She was one of the lucky ones.

He wondered if, like Jennifer, her hands were injured or maimed, or if she hid a large scar under her clothing. As he wondered, he found that it was hard for him to take his eyes off of her, the air of confidence and happiness she held drew him like a moth to a flame. It was only Adrian's nudge that drew him out of his reverie.

"Checking out the local flavour, huh?" Adrian jeered. "Check out her uniform, special forces." A light of envy entered his eyes, undeniably entranced by her position and feats.

Zach, clearing his throat to distract from the fact that he was caught checking out one of Violet's finest. "Is that where you want to end up? Special forces?" he deverted.

Adrian nodded, and the two started to walk towards the front desk. "In the same way you might want to be a professor one day. It might happen, but I'll settle for my current ranks." He gave her a quick glance." Still, she doesn't look much older than us, eh? She must have a gyarados on her belt or somethin'."

They stood at the front counter now, watching the staff move back and forth with no particular haste. Finally, a browned eyed nurse came to the counter, her aged features greeting them with a smile. "How may I help you?"she asked in a cheery tone.

Adrian leaned forward. "Two pokemon who need regeneration and a ryhorn with a banged up hind leg," he said simply.

He didn't need to explain further, the nurse took the pokeballs and brought them through the doors that led into the medical bay. It took only a minute for her to reappear with a clipboard and pen. "Who caught the sneasel?"

"That would be me,"

"Name?"

"Sable."

She smiled. "I mean you."

"Oh! Ah, Mitsugi. Adrian Mitsugi."

Adrian leaned forward, and began the progress of answering the questions, as well as a briefing on the situation surrounding the capture. He left out the details, instead insisting that he was attacked by a goldbat in the cave. If the roots of the cult went deep in Violet, they didn't want to uproot the weeds of their mission with their first til.

Zach then gave the account of how Reiner came into his team, holding nothing back in details. When he mentioned Amy, the nurse smiled. "You're her husband, aren't you?" she paused the questioning to ask Adrian.

"Yes, ma'am."

She chuckled. "Thought I recognized you. Not getting her into too much trouble these days, right?"

"Nope. Keeping her as safe as a shuckle," he said. His eyes flickered between Zach and the nurse before he stood straight. "I'll let you finish up," he told Zach as he began to move for one of the seats.

When Zach finished the form, he took Sable's pokeball for Adrian and watched the nurse vanish into the back with Reiner's. Knowing he wouldn't see his ryhorn until the next day, he turned and took a seat beside Adrian, who distractedly stared at the floor.

The Sinnoean cleared his throat and handed Adrian Sable's pokeball when his attention was drawn. The two sat in a long silence, with Zach's eyes every once in a while glancing over to the blue eyed woman by the window.

"I have no idea what I'm gonna do with a dark-type, man," Adrian finally said with a sigh. "I don't even know where to begin with him."

Zach replied with an empathetic grunt, not having the answer for Adrian at that very moment. "Every pokemon has it's method," he answered. "If you can control Quen, then I think a sneasel will be no problem,"

"I've had Quen since she was a pup, though."

"You'll think of something," Zach assured. "When did you name him?"

"Just then," Adrian shrugged. "It felt right."

Zach nodded, and his eyes went to the woman again.

"Keep working on that crush, and you'll have more than a beer distractin' you."

Zach leaned back in his chair. "I think I just envy her happiness."

Adrian paused and blinked uncomfortably, glancing between the soldier and the field assistant. His face straightened, and he studied her for a second. Once he realized he was staring, he diverted his gaze. "She looks proud of herself. It probably wasn't easy to get where she was. And I'd reckon that she's been on a mission or two similar to this. When Elm's safe and sound with his family, you'll look like that too. She probably looked like you do now at one point."

Zach only nodded, his eyes falling to the clean floor. He sat as deep in his chair as his armour would allow him. He felt Leo's head rest on the toe of his shoe, and they both closed their eyes until it was time to move again. '_When Elm is safe,'_ Zach thought. '_I like the sound of that._'

SC

Sighing she she stared out the window from her couch, Amy leaned her head against the acoustic guitar in her lap. She idly plucked at the bottom string, feeling the deep vibrations echo through the body.

She rose her head, peering at the curled up pichu on her coffee table over the instrument. She began to tap her finger eagerly on the wood of the guitar, her right hand moving through soundless chords fluently as her thoughts rested on her husband. Twice in one week he nearly died, both times out of her sight, and now he was gone once more. Her trepidation was more than enough to keep her awake.

Riley fidgeted, and rolled onto his back to stare at the nurse. She smiled and plucked a string, letting a long and high note ring through the quiet room. The pichu squeaked at her once, then rolled to his stomach, his ears flat as he continued to stare at her with sad eyes.

"You're worried too, huh?" she asked the mouse as she set the guitar aside to reach for her half drank cup of water. However, as her hand came close, the silhouette of a bird cast its shadow across the room like an arrow, and Riley perked instantly with a hiss. An errant jolt of electricity flashed between Riley's cheek and the table, startling Amy into knocking over the cup. She swore as water spilled over the edge, beginning to soak into the gray carpet.

Riley squeaked again, peering over the edge of the table at the mess, and bounded off the table towards the kitchen. Amy tensed as the pichu rounded the corner, but eased up when the sounds of falling pots and pans didn't ring through the apartment like they had ten minutes prior. The pichu had seemed to calm down after his investigation of the lodging, much to Amy's relief.

She looked back at the water, and began to push herself up, but the streak of yellow reappeared and came to her with a wagging tail. In his mouth hung a cloth. A cloth she hadn't seen in so long that she didn't want to bother wondering where he found it. She leaned over, stroking Riley's head gently before tugging the cloth from his mouth.

"Did Zach teach you that?" she asked in a genial tone as she began to pat down the wet flooring.

She heard the door open, and rose her head to find Zach and Adrian entering the apartment with idle chatter.

"He's not doing any drills tomorrow so that'll be the best time to ask him." Adrian said as he began to fidget with his armour.

Zach, also feeling the weight of his armour leave him, sighed in relief. "So be it. I'll go to the gym myself."

"_Finally_," Amy said with her arms held out as she walked towards the hallway. "Riley spilled water, clean it up,"she said as she vanished into the bathroom.

The two blinked, then looked at each other. They just shrugged and moved for the couches. Riley jumped into Zach's arms, and a small tingle of electricity coursed through him. With a gasp, the field assistant tensed. The sign of affection couldn't go on for much longer.

Keeping his pokemon held close, he sat. Both of them leaned back and starred at the ceiling in deep contemplation. No words were spoken between them, they needed the time to think.

Eventually, the ambient sound of the shower stopped, and Adrian turned his head towards the bathroom door. "Think I'm gonna get into a change of clothes, then we'll head to the bar," he said as he stood.

Zach nodded as his friend left the room.

Entering the blue walled bedroom and B-lining for the dresser adjacent is bed, the ranger got into a change of clean clothing, settling for a white t-shirt and clean jeans.

The door behind him opened, and Amy entered, wrapped in one towel and running an other over her hair.

"Are you going to come with us?" her husband asked.

Amy shook her head. "I'm exhausted, and I think someone needs to watch the place."

Adrian nodded. "At least let me keep Arc with you."

She smiled as she opened a dresser drawer. "I'll be fine."

"Quen, then? Just for the company?"

"Alright, leave Quen with me, but no promises that she won't take your place on the bed."

Adrian smiled, and moved across the room to kiss her on the temple. "A small price to pay," he shot back as he shoved Quen's pokeball into her hand. "We're not going to be long, and I doubt we'll be drunk. One beer shouldn't hurt."

Amy laughed. "One Johtan beer for a Sinnoean, though."

As he moved for the door, the ranger laughed too, his hand firmly on the door frame. "He'll be a man by the end of the night," he shot back.

"Just don't get into any trouble," Amy said as she pulled a shirt out of the dresser.

"I promise."

SC

The conversation moved fluently between the two, much in the same way it did on their trip to Cherrygrove. No one directed the conversation and, over the hum of the other more rowdy patrons, they found themselves relaxed. Although the weight of their mission still played on them, the small reprieve from being attacked was welcomed. Even though the bar smelled of tobacco, and a musician sat in the corner with a tip jar and a harmonica, the two travelers felt a warm joy in them.

However, things had to turn somber as the topic turned to how they got their first pokemon, as Zach recounted his meeting with Leo that morning in Eterna Forest.

"No kiddin'" Adrian responded dolefully once the story had been told. "Sorry to hear that."

"It was fifteen years ago."

"So?" Adrian scoffed. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Hell, I'm worried about my pop on the Isles."

Zach nodded idly as he took another swig of his beer. "He and Elm are good friends then?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry for assuming that you didn't care. Your relationship to him was unknown to me."

"It's fine. Let's just focus on the future." Adrian relaxed in his chair more, spinning his bottle slowly. "Any ideas developing in that clever brain of yours?"

"Kind of, but it's not very lucrative."

"Lay it on me," Adrian said as he leaned back in his chair, his lower eyelid raised as the drink took its hold.

"The staraptor are a good plan, but that still involves a time consuming search." Zach leaned against the table, and started to whisper. "We both know this guy's trying to take us out. So why don't we go to him?"

Adrian's eyebrows rose, and he leaned forward fast enough to creak his chair. "You mean to ask him about Elm? Why the hell would he tell us?" he hissed back.

Zach's face darkened, and his eyes scanned the faces of the people around him. "Not ask. Demand. Force. Take him in, get him arrested. I remember Mr. Pokemon saying that Jennifer would come to this settlement, right?"

Adrian's eyes narrowed, and he sat back a bit. "You're thinkin' about her golduck?"

Zach responded with a nod. "She's shown some inclination towards bending the rules. I think she can set some professionalism aside for something like this."

"It's not entirely legal. A lot could go wrong." Adrian scratched his head. "He's got a partner. Someone else was in that cave with him."

Zach frowned. "Yeah, someone else. Damn..." He stopped as he took another thoughtful swig of his beer. He scanned the bar as he thought, and his eyes froze as an idea came to him. "How much of a solution is violence to you?"

"You think we can take her out? I'm not even sure what pokemon she has."

"She's the kadabra's trainer. You have a sneasel. You said we should take the fight to them, right?"

"Zach... Sable's not trained, man. He's still feral."

Zach peeled at the label of the Olivine brandy. "Tomorrow morning, break him in. You might have to do a thing or two you won't be proud of, but being a trainer isn't about being their friend. A dark type reacts to authority. I saw it earlier today, Quen's authoritative over Arcturus. She's the alpha."

"Alpha?" Adrian returned as he tugged the collar of his shirt. "Man, Arc and Quen are partners. There's no-"

"Look, pokemon are different than people. Arc sees Quen as an authoritative figure. She sees herself as above him. That's how it works. They may see each other more as siblings than friends, who knows? I'm saying it's worth a shot to train the sneasel to help deal with the kadabra."

"To distract it so we can take the guy?"

"So we can take him in and question him. Yes."

Adrian twiddled his thumbs around the bottle, frowning as he thought. "How're we gonna find him then?"

Zach sighed. "Well. It's going to be a long shot, but he's hunting me. So he'll go for me. He'll come to us."

"No. You're not using yourself as bait."

Zach furrowed his brow. "No offense, but you don't have much of a say."

Adrian paused, and a few tense seconds passed between the two. In the lull of their conversation, the man with the harmonica began to play a sad an energetic song. Eventually, Adrian sighed and drank from the bottle, scanning the bar "It's an option only. A last resort."

"Agreed."

"Fine. Who'll make the arrest then?"

"You're a ranger."

Adrian froze, and the sides of his mouth twisted upwards from beneath the mouth of the bottle. "Oh, that would be nice. Getting that son of a bitch in cuffs," he said as he lowered his drink.

Zach chuckled. "And I already know that Riley can paralyze his seviper.."

In a turn of mood, the ranger found some excitement in the plan, and he laughed. "That would be handy." As his laugh ended, he looked down and began to fidget with the bottle, and his smile slowly faded as the green glass reflected his face to him. "I can't believe we're laughing while talkin' about this," .

Zach grunted as he finished his beer. "Humour's good for the soul, you, of all people, should know that. You should have heard what Dawn and I would joke about over a beer. Get used to it, you're job's gonna get hefty on the best of days."

"Still, the professor's not a topic I wanna laugh about."

Zach stood, and placed a bill on the table to pay for his drink. "We're not laughing about Elm, we're celebrating getting one step closer to his rescue."

"That's oddly patient of you."

Zach shrugged. "I'm learning from one of the best," he said with a brief smile. "That or this beer's stronger than the stuff in New Bark. You sticking around for another round?"

Adrian nodded. "Gonna linger for a bit. Take some time to think."

Zach nodded and turned for the door before making his way through the network of tables and patrons. Through the dimly lit bar, he found the door and pushed his way into the dark street. On both of his sides streetlights illuminated the dark roads of the settlement.

With a sigh of relief, and the slight buzz of his drink, Zach reached into his jacket and released Leo from his capsule. The leafeon turned to Zach, as if to wait for an order, but the trainer simply began to walk down the road with his hand sin his pockets, simply wanting to enjoy the company of his old friend.

SC

In the heat of the night, Zach had found himself wandering the streets blindly. He had to admit he was lost, because the apartment was only a five minute walk from the bar, he had been wandering for fifteen. Still, he walked with his eyes straight and his composure relaxed. It would have seemed as though the beer had relaxed him, just as Adrian said.

But that wasn't the case. On the surface he looked calm, but inside he was tense, his heart raced and his palms where clammy. Leo too kept his head forward and appeared unaware.

He had to get lost, otherwise he would have led whoever was following him right to Amy and Adrian's apartment.

Briskly, Zach turned onto a wide boulevard. Keeping his eyes straight, he saw a silhouette in the corner of his eye briefly. It vanished around the corner of a building as the hunted continued down the main road that was lined with tram tracks and overhead wires.

Specific features of his pursuer were lost to the blanket of night, but he saw the pace, it was slower than his. This was a tailing. The only thing he could make out for sure was the hood of robes.

He had to take control. The large windows of some of the buildings acted as a weak mirror, allowing Zach to keep his eyes behind him while still appearing unaware. With this tactic, came a swell of anger in his chest as his nervousness began to rest.

His pace quickened as he pretended to check an invisible watch on his wrist. He rose his head just has he walked through an intersection, and the tracks that ran perpendicular the ones on his current route gave him an idea. As he moved over them, his movement was fluent, simply raising his grounded foot higher than normal as to not trip over the tracks, and to give the appearance that nothing was there. With the quickened pace, he knew whoever was behind him would need to focus more on him, and less on where he was going.

With a stroke of luck, his plan worked. He heard a pained grunt and shuffling of dirt just as he cleared the intersection, and hazarded a glance over his shoulder to find the man stumbling. With a sly grin, he ducked into an alleyway before the man could recover.

He produced Riley's pokeball and unzipped his jacket fully, knelling to the ground before thumbing the release mechanism. Under the cover of his jacket, the light was restricted as the pichu congealed.

The sound, however, couldn't have been muffled so easily. When a pokemon atomized, the otherworldly sound was just too unnatural to be ignored. It caught someones attention like a baby crying. Just enough for the mind to want to investigate.

Promptly, the man took a deep breath and steadily approached the alley. He found his mark cornered, alone, and furious. Zach's scowl was like that of a cornered animal, teeth bared, fists tight, and eyes wild.

"I've been hunted before," Zach growled.

The man rose his hands pleasantly. "Sorry to bother you," he said with a cheery Sinnoean accent. "You wouldn't happen to know how to get to Sprout Tower from here, would you?"

"Cut the bullshit."

The man froze, and shuffled uneasily beneath his baggy clothing. With a laughing sigh, the man moved his hands towards his hood, and revealed an old man comfortably in his fifties with a bald head and an eerily friendly face. "I know what this looks like," he said as he began to slowly walk closer to Zach.

He only closed four feet before a high pitched hiss stopped him in his tracks. To his right, a lash of electricity cracked against a dumpster, on top of which stood a tense and battle ready pichu.

"One more step and he paralyzes you, and I'll leave you here to suffocate," Zach said coldly.

With a smile maintained, the man studied the small mouse before looking back to Zach. "I understand your unease. All I want is to reconcile a bit."

"Reconcile with the same cult that spent the past week trying to kill me?" He tensed, as did Leo, who appeared from the shadows beside his trainer.

The man smiled and sighed in defeat, eyeing the fox. "How can I argue with that? Your suspicions are completely understandable. I just wanted to make sure you made it to the city in one piece, and give you something," he said as he very slowly reached into his pocket, warily keeping his eye on Riley. "You're tenacious. You came this far on nothing more than basic information given by a dead man. That's either really brave, stupid, or maybe there is no difference between the two." He produced a black cylindrical tube, tapped closed on both sides. He showed it to Zach with a shake of his hand before kneeling and rolling it towards him like a bowling ball.

Zach recoiled as the object approached.

The man's smile grew, appearing oddly friendly. "It's not a bomb kid. It's a map of the city," he said with a laugh as he turned to move back towards the street. From under his robes, he produced another object, a sphere with a small trigger protruding from the side. A brief second followed where the entire area was lit, and a large gray bird congealed onto the road, it's wings outstretched to almost half of the length of the boulevard. "Don't expect any more help from me, this was enough of a risk."

The staraptor shook, rattling a saddle that was fastened just behind the large wings of the bulky bird. Zach watched in bewilderment as the man approached it, allowing the pokemon to nuzzle at his hand lovingly before he hoisted himself into the saddle.

Riley appeared at the sight of the bird, lightening lashing out from his cheeks as he hissed at the enormous bird pokemon. The man regarded Riley with a smile, and eyed Leo, who silently stood by Zach's side, the leafeon's eyes fixed directly into the bird mounted man's. The man saw age, and wisdom in those eyes. More than any species he had encountered before.

"You and your pokemon are fighters, I can tell that much," he said as the bird began to shift under him. "I can see that fighting spirit in you. Your eyes are exactly the same as your father's." He smiled. "I knew him well. Sebastian was a good man."

With a light kick to the sides, the staraptor screeched as it's wings extended, taking up a majority of the street's width before it jumped and flapped its wings once, sending a cloud of dirt in every direction.

Zach rushed to the road, shielding his eyes from the dust that grew illuminated as various lights came on in random windows. He lowered his arm enough to see the bird vanish over the buildings. He now stood staring at the sky in the silent ambiance of the large settlement, his hand clenched tightly over Leo's pokeball as a thousand questions ran through him like a river.

Though, with those thousand questions came one vital answer.

The staraptor headed west.

* * *

**Holy shit. There's a lot of talking in this, isn't there? I mean, I could probably cut out half of this dialog and cut the chapter down to 8,000 words, maybe even boost the quality of the conversations. This is what happens when you send too much time on one thing, boys and girls; it reaches a point when the quality nose dives. Regardless of my personal disparaging, what do _you _ guys think? Anyone made it this far? Still interested? Violet City's gonna be rough for me, guys. I want to get through it so badly because EVERYTHING afterwards is planned out and I'm excited to write it. **

**On another note, in these four months between updates, I had gone back and reworked what I have posted. Adding a sentence here, removing a paragraph there, fixing up some dialog to help with fluidity. Things like that. As a consequence, a lot of the author's notes got removed. It's going to happen a lot more. Expect it, but don't worry about me changing any key events. If I do that, it will be after this whole story is finished.**

**Don't worry about me kicking my own ass with personal critique, by the way, it's how I work. I love writing this.**


	12. From Above

** Hey, guys. It's been a while. Over the passed nine months, I've been living and learning, and real life always comes first. I had some time to reflect on this universe, and grow it a bit in my mind. As weird as it sounds to make an in depth pokemon universe, I feel like it's great practice for world building in a more original sense, from the ground up.**

**Alright, I've said all there is to say. Enjoy. **

* * *

Zach quickly paced back and forth along the width of the alleyway, looking at his feet with his hands on the top of his head. His breathing was heavy, brought on by his near panicked pace. His face had become clammy with a light sweat.

_'Who was he?'_

That thought ran through him like a blade, cutting down thoughts of ease and dominating his mind. Two answers screaming for illumination simultaneously, neither one waiting their turn in the spotlight.

Questions like where Sean Elm was.

Leo sat with his ears flickering in all directions, his superior sense was enough to keep one thing off Zach's mind, surveillance. The leafeon would watch their surroundings while Zach allowed himself a loss of composure. At this time, when no one could see it, was as good a time as any.

But the night grow colder, as did Elm's trail.

Zach stopped in mid pace, raising his head as he rubbed some of the sweat off his face. Through his fingers, he eyed the capsule rolled to him by the cultist.

Swiftly, he moved towards the small black object, and knelt as he picked it up and turned it over in his hand many times. He saw no wires, and when he shook it he heard only the rubbing of paper as it rattled within. He put his hand firmly on its lid.

With a weary glance towards Leo, he twisted the cap off, and, with a heavy breath, popped it off. To the credit of his stalker, no plum of poisonous gas erupted out, and an explosion did not rip him and his surroundings to nothing. Instead, a roll of paper stared back at him when he peered into the tube.

His breathing eased some in a long, shaking sigh of relief.

He stood, fishing the paper out and unrolling it, exposing a map of Violet City. He scanned the many roads, none named, but he was sure his friends could help him with that.

_'My friends_,' That thought eased him even more. He tapped the capsule on the side of his hand as he lingered on the soothing thought for a bit as he vacantly looked into the shadow of the deep alleyway. '_I wonder what Adrian's thoughts are about the ambush.' _There was too much to think about at once.

_'Try to keep pace,'_ his father had told him long ago_._ _'No telling what will meet you if you stand still too long, bud.'_

"Fine," Zach muttered to himself as he turned to the road, map open in front of him.

_SC_

He looked down, and observed the lengthy road ahead of him before glancing at the map. It showed there were roads that stretched the entire city, one end to the other. He was on one of the three roads that stretched east to west, but he didn't know which. With a shrug, and a furrowed brow, Zach folded the map, keeping it in hand, and watched the shadows as he began to walk.

Immediately, a small figure darted from one end to the other a hundred yards from his position, a brief flicker under a distant street lamp. Unease digging into him, he turned onto a smaller road, keeping hidden in the winding back roads.

It only took Zach ten minutes to become completely and utterly lost. He first noticed this when standing in the middle of a large market, where each booth had been stripped bare for the night. He slowly scanned his surroundings, his chest raising and falling as a result of his demanding pace.

As he perused, the fine lines of his vision began to blur. He blinked, but it persisted. It had been a

long day, and even longer night.

It was there, tucked between two small booths, that he decided to slump. His legs could hold him, but his spirit had drained, leaving him there on the ground. Instead of struggling, Zach accepted his exhaustion, and laid on his back. He would have fallen asleep right there and then if not for Leo's paw pressing down on his shoulder. The night sky became blocked by the face of his vulpine partner, whose eyes moved over him analytically.

"Just let me..." he stopped. Let him what? What was he going to do? Find this man? Then what? What answers did he want to hear? He clasped Leo's head in his hands, peering into the leafeon's eyes. "Are we better off not knowing?"

Maybe, but leaving a question unanswered wasn't in him, and he had plenty of them to work on.

"It's been a long week, hasn't it?" he asked Leo, who laid his ears down in reply.

Leo patted at his friend's chest, quietly whining.

"What do you think it was? Was he in this cult? Or was that man an academic who knew who Dad was?" His eyes drifted to the stars above him. "He did look a bit scholarly," mumbled Zach as his attention drifted into deep thought.

Leo yipped, smacking Zach's legs with his folded tail.

"What?"

Leo now combined an annoyed yip with a bark, his ears falling back.

_'No telling what will meet you if you stand still too long, bud,'_

With a sigh, Zach decided to adhere to his fathers embedded advice, and propped himself up on his elbows as he wearily surveyed the shoddy booths. He hadn't kept track of whether or not he had been followed, but his gut told him he was safe. His career experience taught him to trust the feeling. He blankly stared at the map before shaking his head and curling it up in his hand.

All it took for Zach to find his way back was to head south-east until he began to recognize certain landmarks. The moon's position was easy enough for the survivalist to get his direction. Halfway through his walk, Riley had been released, and perched on his shoulder. The pichu made him feel safer the better the little guy got with his aim and power.

From there, it was easy to find Adrian and Amy's apartment. He sighed with relief when the large windows of the store they lived over welcomed him. He walked up the stairs, Leo and Riley in toe, and slowly opened the door.

Why the door was unlocked was immediately revealed as a drunken mistake as he entered the apartment to find Adrian sitting upright, on the couch, and passed out with his mouth hung open. He paused after he closed the door, studying the younger man with interest. Two questions came to him: how much had the ranger drank, and how long had Zach been out?

Did either matter? Why add more questions to the pile?

He sauntered into the living room, quietly removing his jacket and belt before lying on the couch with his arms wrapped around him.

Sleeps grasp was closing in when Adrian stirred, drunkenly snorting as he was jolted awake.

Zach rolled over to investigate, finding Adrian swatting at Riley, whose cold nose had ripped Adrian out of his sleep like a bucket of cold water. As the mouse darted over the back of the couch, Adrian began to grumble, rubbing the part of his hand that the pichu had jolted. It looked like existence itself was dawning on Adrian's face as he became aware of his surroundings, and a sigh left him as he rubbed his eyes.

"Zach," he said in a near mumble. "Fancy seein' you here."

Sitting up, Zach demanded Riley to him. The pichu appeared from under the couch as a yellow blur, vanishing under the opposite sofa. "Sorry we woke you."

Adrian nodded slowly. "Had me worried," he ignored. "I thought I would get home and everyone would be here, but..." he trailed off.

"Get some sleep," Zach said as he stood and moved for the kitchen. "I'll get you some water. You probably don't want a hang over.

When Zach returned and handed Adrian the glass, the ranger grinned tiredly. "Thanks. You got a good heart, man. Best friend a man could ask for, if I say so."

"You think so?" he humoured.

Adrian snorted a laugh. "Hell, you pulled my ass out of -," he stopped to drink the water mid sentence. When he put the drink down, he wiped his mouth and looked up at Zach with a drunken and sleepy grin. "You're a good dude, and I'm going to pull out all the stops with helping you. Ranger's honour."

Sitting on the couch, Zach cupped his hands in his lap as he nodded politely. "I know you will," he said.

Adrian's grin faded, and those humourus eyes scanned Zach as he set the water onto the table. Even in the dark, the ranger's eyes picked up on something different in the bright hazel of the field assistant's.

"Somethin's not right. C'mon." He winked. "Was it that soldier, she on your mind?"

"It's more grave than that, I'm afraid. "

Leaning his head onto the back of the couch lazily, the ranger rolled his hand in an 'out with it' gesture. "I'm all ears."

Zach detailed the events of the night, captivating his drunken friend with the story of his follower and his encounter. When he had finished, Adrian sat in silence for a while as he mulled over the story.

"This guy," Adrian muttered. "You said he sounded cheery? A bit too nice, right?"

Zach nodded.

"What'd he look like?"

"He was older, balding, he might be the same age as our parents if I'm not mistaken."

Adrian's eyes narrowed as he folded his arms over his chest. "Sounds familiar. Sinnoean?"

"Yeah, and he said he knew my father,"

Adrian paused, his brow furrowing at the impact of the idea. "D'ya think he's lyin'?"

Zach shook his head. "The more I think about it, the less I feel like I knew him. I'd rather not..." he stopped.

"You think your old man was in this cult?" Adrian imposed.

Zach's shoulders tightened, and he remained silent.

"Sorry, man, but we need all the angles," Adrian said as he slowly leaned back into his relaxed, drunken state.

"I know," Zach shot back with a small shake..

Adrian looked around the room before he set his eyes on the glass of water on the table, and an idea came to him as clear as the glass. "Another thought is that..." he stopped. "Listen, an old drill instructor owes me a favour. I'm gonna pull it tomorrow, after I break in Sable."

"How do you owe a drill instructor a favour?"

Adrian closed his eyes and placed his hand behind his head again. "Long story, long goddamn story." he chuckled "Longer than this one for sure."

"A story I'll hear?"

"Eventually," Adrian said quietly as his features sunk into restfulness. "Ranger's honour."

As Adrian dozed off, Zach scanned the dark room, his eyes following the shadows cast by the street lights, and, on the comfortable couch, he found a slicing chill in him still. Trepidation ran through him like a saw blade, but all he could do was close his eyes and clear his thoughts.

Though he tried, he remembered the face of his father. Those kind eyes that now had the shadows of deep secrets.

_SC_

The early morning sun cascaded over the foggy field, the mist covering Adrian's training grounds. Even though it was a relatively cool morning, his forehead was spotted with sweat, both from the anticipation of what was to come, and a mild, if bothersome, hangover. Five Johtan beers could take more than its fair share of happiness from the next day, as the ranger knew all too well.

Regardless, his headache was moderate at best, and the fresh air had cleared his thoughts.

The trainer grabbed a pokeball from his belt. "Ready?"

Quen snorted with a plume of smoke, her vents undulating the air above her. Satisfied, Adrian took a deep breath before he strode further from the road to the middle of the field, which held a large oak tree. A tree spotted with legacies of long passed wounds. A training ground.

With a tight grip on a baton in one hand, he flicked his thumb over the small trigger on the side of the pokeball, and eliminated the trees long shadow with the brilliant white light. The light cascaded over the grass like a ripple of water, that was no more than ten feet away from the ranger, before congealing into a small black mass. A mass of tense muscles and raised black fur.

The next second was a flash, Sable closed the gap with a scream as he leapt towards Adrian with claws outstretched, and, just like in the cave, he was blind sided with searing teeth. Both pokemon crashed to the ground, raising dust as they struggled. Quen's teeth held to the frantic sneasel as they wrestled, her back alight. Sable grabbed for her side with wicked claws, but was ceased by the digging of sharp and scorching teeth into his side.

With a heave of effort, Quen wrenched her head and threw the sneasel aside like a ragdoll.

He rolled a few feet before settling on his side with a small trickle of blood exposed on his right ribs. He soon as he came to a stop, Quen was on him again, the heat from her breath splashing into him with every wild bark the quilava released.

"Enough!" echoed over the field, and Quen immediately ceased her display.

"Back."

Quen released the small cat, her muscles rippling under her fur as she took only a single step back.

Adrian reached into his pocket, making sure to keep his baton in front of him. "I'm not your prey." He pulled a cloth covered fish from his pocket, and waited for the smell to travel to the small carnivore's nose. "I'm better for more than that, Sable." He paused to let the name sink in, the first step was teaching pokemon their names. "I can make you stro-"

Sables's eyes became slits as the smell reached him. His muscles tensed as he took a single, hectic step forward. Quen promptly spat at the sneasel with a controlled and ill tempered ember. It flew passed him, but nothing without licking his arm and sneding the sneasel into a frantic retreat. In an instant, the cat vanished in the shadow of the tree.

Adrian rose slowly, but alertly. "Shit," he whispered as he scanned the tree. "Is a little diplomacy too much to ask?"

A few centimeter's from his right, he saw the black, wavy mass of the blacked out dark-type, and the wicked claws that erupted out of the shadowy figure. Adrian had only time to fall onto his side before watching black fur sail over his head. Frantically, he fumbled for Sable's pokeball, and aimed for the sneasel. The red laser shot out, but it wasn't fast enough to catch Sable before he vanished behind the tree.

Adrian hissed as he stood, keeping his baton up, and pokeball ready. "Quen, on me."

Keeping her keen eye on the tree, her other senses watched their surroundings. Even in an open field, the small headache a blacked out pokemon gave would do him no favours.

He knew it was only a matter of time before Sable showed himself.

"Be ready," said the ranger, and before he finished his order, Quen's fire flared in the silence.

His eyes moved from the buildings around the field, to the grass by his feet, and everything in between. He glanced at the tops of the towering tree, expecting any projectile attack from the ice-type. If Sable knew how to use ice.

He squinted as something caught his attention. Above the tree was a small black figure, red wings carrying a small body. Like an arrow, the black dart plummeted from the sky, and vanished behind the tree. Only two seconds followed before he heard a cry of pain, and saw a bird erupt from the tree, making a turn for another hit.

This happened three more times, each round aiming for a different section of the tree. Red wings and crooked, sharp beak drove Sable out of his hiding, his aim being the mass of buildings eighty feet from the oak.

As fast as he was, he was not faster than light, and the beam from his pokeball snagged him before he could make it halfway across the field. With a sigh, Adrian shook his head at the pokeball before reattaching it to his belt. Patience was a trainer's best tool.

"The hell were you thinkin'?" said a commanding voice. "A feral, dark-type no less, without a buddy? In the middle of the settlement?"

The voice was authoritative, but its cadence was laced with a friendly disposition. The kind of tone one took with respect rather than fear, and the man's face held the same inclination. Adrian turned to see a man of advanced age, whose white beard wrapped around his narrow chin. His youthful and narrow brown eyes were lined with shallow wrinkles nearly hidden in his tanned complexion.

A shadow, of airborne origin, darted overhead and spiraled downwards before its source rested on its trainer's shoulder. A small bird decorated with crimson wings and a jagged beak protruding from a narrow, brown feathered head, watched Adrian with keen red eyes.

The most agile spearow in the ranger's corp, aptly named Dart, was a familiar sight to Adrian.

The man stepped down from the road, his whole body relaxed as he approached Adrian. "'Bout time ya caught another one, Mitsugi. You know you could have been a sergeant by now?"

Adrian's brows knitted together quizzically. "After two weeks, sir?"

The man stopped beside Adrian, and looked down with a smile towards Quen, who's eyes had grown from feral slits, to eagerly welcoming circles. He eyed Adrian's belt."Hell, now that you have three, it might just happen," he said as he held his gloved hand out to Quen. The quilava reached her nose out to sniff the old worn leather. His hand reached further down to the side of her face, and gently stroked her jawline. "And please, Adrian, drop the 'yes, sir' and ' no,sir.' I think we're well beyond that"

"Of course, sir. I mean," he stopped as an embarrassed smile crept to his features. "Of course, Dan."

"That's better," he said as he straitened out. He observed Quen for a moment, her muscular frame, the shine of her coat, and the visible scars where her fur was short. "Still hasn't evolved, eh?"

"I want to keep her small and fast," returned the ranger as he clipped Sable's pokeball on his belt.

Dan nodded towards the ball. "Hell, you have a sneasel to fill that role now."

The ranger shrugged. "Maybe. If I can tame the damn thing."

"There's always time for that, Adrian," the older man said with a smack on the ranger's shoulder. "Now what was it you wanted to talk 'bout?"

Adrian then turned stone faced, his eyes gleaming urgency. "Can we talk about it in your office?"

_SC_

The room was warm, wooden, and homely. It was hard for Adrian to believe that it was an office, the office of an old ranger, no less. The warm glow of lamps accented the mahogany table that sat in the center of the office. Adrian sat in a large chair, his head resting impatiently in his hand as the finger of his other hand tapped the wood of the arm rest.

His eyes moved around the room, from old paintings of battle, to Dart, who preened himself on a bronze perch.

Dan came around from behind the chairs, holding two cups that gave off steam. "Here," he offered. "It's just tea. Bit early for the alternative," he sat as he settled the cups on the table and took his seat. He took a moment to observe Adrian's expression, which was uncharacteristically serious. "What did you need me for?"

Adrian sighed as he sat straight. "I need you to get me into the gym, to speak with Falkner," he opened. "Augustus isn't available, and I'm neck deep in time pressed shit."

Dan's eyes became circles. He opened his mouth to speak, turning to Dart, then to Adrian. "Almighty," he muttered.

"If it wasn't serious, I wouldn't ask this of you, sir."

"Just-" he cut himself short. "What kind of trouble are you in, Adrian?" he asked with the edges of a demanding tone.

"Professor Elm's been kidnapped by a cult from Sinnoh."

The room fell deathly silent, and even Dart appeared uncomfortable.

"I'll need details," Dan pressed as he grabbed the handle of his tea cup. "From the beginning." He sat back in his chair, and stared at Adrian expectantly.

Adrian went on to explain the whole situation. From the time the strange man had handed him the orb, to their arrival in Violet. He detailed his capture of the skarmory, and of the sneasel. He added the details of the truck which had turned over on the side of the road as the legacy of some conflict. He even included the bits of the conversation he and Zach shared in the living room, or what he could remember of it at least. There were bits left clandestine, like the consideration of using Zach as bait, or Zach's suggestion of interrogation. Adrian's thoughts abandoned the idea of the interrogation when he began to ponder how Zach's patience might run thin during. Surely, Adrian thought, Zach wasn't capable of taking it too far. He still didn't know the Sinnoean fully.

"So," Dan leaned forward in his chair, hard faced. "What leads do you have on the identity of these cultists?"

Adrian only shrugged. "Sinnoean. That's all I know."

"Identifying a cult from Sinnoh. Like finding the sharpest thorn on a bramble bush," Dan sighed as he set the tea down. "It sounds like they ambush. That could be a clue to where they came from." He paused to rub the stubble of his chin. "They sound organized in a militaristic sense, they could have origins as mercenaries. Like The Rockets."

"Like The Rockets," Adrian sighed. "Is it weird that I find that comforting?"

Dan smiled. "Familiarity is comfort."

Adrian laughed. "No shit," he cooed as he lifted his cup.

Dan too laughed. "Suppose we could hire them for this?"

Adrian lowered his cup, and with a snort, shook his head. "That's your life savings, old man."

The quiet smiles persisted for a few seconds as they idly drank their tea, both returning to thoughts of the matter at hand. Again, slowly, the room grew more solemn in its tone.

"What's your current plan?" Dan asked as the mood finalized its shift. "How do you plan on finding the professor?"

Adrian remained quiet, his thoughts were blank.

"Dammit, Adrian. Have you at least spread the word about this kidnapping?"

"Jennifer Itsugi is personally involved in the case."

Dan eyebrows rose. "That's not bad."

"She's working on the Cherrygrove cause. Looking for him there while we came here to spread things out."

"She couldn't send the gym trainer?"

"Cianwood's ships, sir," Adrian shook his head. "In the bay."

Dan grunted, and his lower lip furrowed. "That's right. Damn. When it rains, it pours," he muttered.

"All we can do for now is hope Jennifer finds him in Cherrygrove," Adrian said diffidently.

:Do you think she will?" Dan sat forward.

Adrian wasn't guarded for that question, his unease showed in the brief shifting in his eyes. "I have confidence that she'll find him," he said with a small nod.

"No, Adrian. Do you think Elm is in Cherrygrove?"

Adrian stared at the table, his thoughts setting for a moment. He sighed with his eyes closed, and slowly turned his head to Dan. His eyes opened in almost a dream-like state. "No," he admitted. "If our actions haven't already killed him." He took a drink of his tea, staring out the window in a daze.

"You were close to him, weren't you?"

Adrian nodded, still looking out the window to the trees that danced in the wind.

"Adrian," Dan said before finishing what remained in his cup. "You're asking a lot, but I would actually spend my life savings to help you. I owe you more than money can buy. If I can't get you into the gym, I will at least send them a message. Ranger's honour."

"Add asking Jennifer to come to Violet City and you've got a deal," Adrian said with a small grin, only half way to his charming smile.

Dan simply nodded, his attention shifting to Dart.

There was a small silence between the two, as Adrian took a thoughtful drink from his cup. "How is your daughter, by the way?" He asked, finally looking away from the window.

"She's seen more than anyone in the training corp, and still wants to be like her old man. Wants to be a bit like you too, I reckon."

Now Adrian's full smile beamed, and he looked like the same eighteen year old who came to him for his first day of training. Of course, back then Adrian wore his slacks and was clean shaven; now Adrian sat across from him with a weeks worth of stubble and slightly ripped jeans. As pure planes clothes as he had ever seen his student. True to the fashion of The Frontier. He looked older than twenty two, his eyes were set with the humility and calm of someone twice his age. He saw promotion in Adrian's future, as close as the end of the month.

:Just do me a favour, bud," said Dan.

"Anything you need."

"Wait to have kids."

The greenhorn's eyes flashed and his face reddened, but his teacher's laughter reduced Adrian's embarrassment to humility, and they finished their tea over lighter conversation.

_SC_

The map now hung on the wall, pinned in place by small nails bought from the store downstairs. Zach now noticed the feint musty smell in the apartment, risen up from the dusty shop beneath. He had only felt marginally guilty about nailing the map to their wall, beside the window where he could allow himself to think clearer, and watch the populace of Violet as he allowed his imagination to run free. Free thought, he had learned from Rowan, was essential to solving any problem.

He studied the map ruthlessly, focused ten fold with the help of Amy's tuneful guitar, leaving no part of the city out of his scrutiny. He found his gaze meeting with the western district of the city mostly. Where the man had flown towards. The man who had given him this very map, who had mentioned his father.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head, opening them slowly to watch the people in the street pass by beneath him. Violet's western district was as convoluted as his thoughts, streets curving randomly, and spaced too far apart.

"Find anything?" Amy asked as she plucked the bottom E string eagerly.

Zach simply shrugged, he wasn't even looking at the map at this point. Simply watching the world go by, and the time he had left washing away. "Have you and Adrian spoken yet?"

She shook her head. "He left too early for me to see him, why?"

Zach was quiet.

"You ok?"

He closed his eyes again and sighed. She had been candid with him, and the thought crossed his mind to do the same for her. "Last night," he nearly muttered. "I left the bar early, and." He stopped short, and he grimaced as a sharp pain pierced through his head. His vision became polluted with black spots that darted around like bugs, harbingers of this damn headache. He held a hand up to Amy to say 'Sorry. Give me a minute.'

He made his way to the couch across from her, and sat with a scrunched face. This one felt massive, like something was tugging at him from within. Immediately, it looked as though the world was warping, and he wired his eyes shut. Even then, the vibrations seemed to persist in the darkness.

"Zach?" Amy asked when she noticed the look of intense pain on the field assistant.

He shook his head and waved her away hastily - I said give me a minute. He felt his stomach begin to sour as a powerful tingle shot down his spine, and he sat back fully, immobile.

_'Them',_ a deep and growling voice gargled from the depths of his mind. Zach's heart skipped a beat, and he broke out in a sweat over his entire body. Amy stood at seeing Zach's eyes shoot open in terrified pain, and rushed to the window, closing the blinds and spinning around to face him again.

_'You know Them,'_ the voice sounded again, _them_ was brought out slowly, almost disgusted.

All at once, everything stopped. The world's vibrating ceased, and the pain all left as soon as it came. The minor effects were still felt, though. His teeth refused to unclench, as did his fists. He breathed heavily, his eyes wildly darting around the room as beads of sweat dampened his brow.

Amy appeared in front of him, kneeling with a glass of water in her hand. She concernedly looked him over. "Are you ok?" she asked as she all but thrust the cup into Zach's clenched hand.

He took it, the glass nearly running over the brim as he shook.

"Zach." Amy nearly demanded. Her heart raced too.

Zach put his elbows on his knees and rested his head in his free hand, placing the cool water against his temple. He closed his eyes once more, and took slow deliberate breaths. "One second," he asked as politely as his anxiety would allow.

He had known hallucinations before. Sometimes Sinnoh's summers could get so hot that he would be unable to leave his house because he was in so much pain. The same damn pain that plagued him his whole life. Pain so intense that his grip on reality would begin to slip, but it was never this lucid. He had never been able to pinpoint the exact cadence or tone of an auditory hallucination; this time he could.

Amy sat next to him, her hands held tightly in her lap as she glanced around the room uneasily.

Two full minutes passed, the longest minutes Amy had felt since her husband had been laid on a gurney and shoved into the ER.

Zach slowly rose the water to his mouth, his eyes looking distantly forward, and drank. He took two more drinks before setting it down. "Them," he said finally, though through his accent, and the tenseness of his throat, Amy couldn't understand him.

She only nodded, hesitantly. _Was he referring to the cult?_ She cocked her head to ask him what he said.

"Them," repeated Zach as he set his cup on the table. "I've had hallucinations before, but..."

Her brow's tips raised. "I think you're working too hard," she said as she rubbed his shoulder once.

Zach shook his head, and rubbed his face. "What other choice do I have?"

She smiled empathetically, and squeezed his shoulder once before standing and moving for the curtains. "Are you ok with light?" she asked as she observed him over her shoulder.

Zach nodded. "The headaches come and fade." But this lingered, not in pain, but in fear. Something deep in him shuttered with unknowing.

Amy drew the curtains back, and the light filtered into the room once again, clouded with dust light for a time until the room's mood finally lifted again. Amy crossed her arms as she glanced around the room, the coffee table, the map on the wall, and Zach's belt.

"Which one's Riley?" she asked.

Without a word, Zach reached to the pokeball wedged between his other two, and wiggled it slowly. He knew what she was suggesting and thumbed the trigger on its side. The light of the room bounced against the walls, revealing more dust kicked off from the curtains, and congealed into the small mouse on the coffee table. The pichu sniffed around the table for a moment before jumping into Zach's lap, and produced a very small charge.

At the very least, Riley was learning to control his power.

Riley looked up at Zach, and seemed to notice something was wrong. The bottom lids of his eyes rose, and he squeaked to be picked up. Amy watched with a smile as Zach picked up his pokemon in a hug.

She turned back to the map, and walked over to it with crossed arms. One brow raised as she looked at the western side of the map. "This isn't right," she said after thirty seconds of silent study. "Half of the roads are missing."

Zach quietly nodded, unseen by Amy. His attention was on his pokemon, who appeared to fall asleep in Zach's arms. He was becoming lost in the comfort of his pokemon's soft fur. "I'll think about it later," he admitted shamefully.

Amy looked back at him and nodded.

SC

Zach and Amy continued their morning in silence. The map begun to tear at the nails, pulled slightly when Amy tugged at it to bring it closer to her eyes. It was an attempt to get better bearing on what was wrong with the damn thing, but she only sighed in frustration as she released her grip on it.

Zach hadn't said a word in a few hours, he only looked out the window in deep thought as Riley slept in his lap. His other hand rested by his hip, close to Leo's pokeball in the same way a resting gunslinger keeps his hand near his gun.

The silence of the room was broken by the sound of the front door's knob turning, sounding something like a crack with the hast with which it was opened. Around the corner emerged Adrian, muddy boots and all as he leaned against the wall facing his wife with a grin. Zach saw a spark of hope in those eyes, maybe even pride.

The field assistant stood at once, hugging Riley to his shoulder like a parent would. "How did it go?" he asked urgently.

Amy looked between them. "About what?"

"I spoke to my old drill sergeant," Adrian said with a nod that said 'you know the one.'

"And?" Zach pressed.

"He'll do what he can. He has some pull, but gettin' us to speak with Augustus or Falkner will still be tough for him."

"Can he do it now?"

Adrian, not surprised to hear the question, turned to Zach, and shrugged. "He might need some time to prepare his statement, but he might be able to do somethin' by the end of the day."

"Can you take me to him?"

Now the surprise showed. "That wouldn't do good, Zach. Let's give him some time."

_'Time, it was always time. Time might be running out for him, Adrian, and they,Them, Might have taken something too far. Mistakes happen all the time, even if they don't want to kill him.' _He might be... "We have no time," Zach shot back as he quickly marched by the ranger towards the door.

Adrian turned around and watched Zach put on a boot. "You being there isn't going to speed things up. We're best just hangin' tight and waitin' for his spearow."

"Me being there is mandatory," Zach said with a shake of his head. He stopped and looked at Adrian, urgency and a hint of fear flaring in his eyes. "I need to be working with your drill sergeant. I can aid his testimony."

Adrian looked sidelong to Amy. She simply shrugged. The ranger pinched the bridge of his nose, he had begun to feel better, but this headache was becoming self sufficient. "You're a target, going-"

"Let them come!" Zach snapped as he wrenched on the laces of his boots, his knuckles becoming white under the strain. His shout bounced off the walls, and Riley recoiled from the boom of his trainer's anger.

Adrian stepped forward, his brows knitted. "Zach, going out there isn't going to help. My teacher's spearow knows this house, and will come with a yes or no depending on the gym's answer."

Zach stood, his fist clenched. "And what are we to do until then? Wait for them to attack us? To find your house by following the spearow? Maybe they're watching us right now. Maybe they're on the other side of this door." He knocked hard on the wood, producing a thump.

Adrian looked at Amy again, seemingly at the end of his wit. All she did was shrug, she saw no harm because she wasn't nearly as paranoid as their Sinnoean friend. Nodding his head, all he could go was grunt in defeat, almost a laugh as he too shrugged. "You're a son of a bitch, Zach," the ranger said as he glanced at Sable's pokeball. '_These two have something in common.'_ His feint smile came back to him, at this thought. "You keep your eyes peeled like you're in the woods, ok? If we lose you, then this whole thing goes to hell, and Elm? Gods know what will happen to him, got it?"

Zach's face was set, and his eyes were stiffly on the ranger's. "Where can I find your teacher?"

Adrian opened his mouth to answer, but Amy cut him off by sweeping around the corner and holding out the city map, almost as fluently as a dancer. She pinned the map against the wall with her finger. "Here, it'll take you roughly twenty minutes on foot. She dragged her finger around the map as she spoke. "We're here, and all you do is take Hino Road north, then right on Mix."

With a nod, Zach snatched the map as politely as his rush would allow him. He nodded his thanks and turned the nob, filing the apartment with late spring heat. The door was left ajar as Zach attempted to close it before rushing down the stairs and beginning a jog. Twenty minutes, she said? He'd do it in fifteen.

Adrian stepped out onto the patio. He stared vacantly at the dirt road, holding the legacy of passed activity of the city. Wagon marks, footprints of both man and beast. He sighed as he leaned against the railing.

Amy came out, her head cocked, and a faint smile that expressed the same concern as her husband's stare. "He had a rough morning," she suggested.

Adrian nodded. "Rough night too. He didn't have his armour on, did he?" He didn't need Amy's reply, he already knew the answer was no. He reached for his belt, and released Arcturus. The skarmory congealed on the railing, the chick's claws digging into the wood. In the distance, he could still see Zach briskly jogging. "Watch him," he told the skarmory, who immediately dove off the porch, his wings catching air.

_SC_

Zach's jog had been reduced to a brisk walk as the crowds of Violet City's streets grew denser the closer he got to the heart of the city. He allowed this change of pace, for the map, no matter how inaccurate, still portrayed the location of the gym and barracks.

The fact that the gym was just down the block from the barracks eased him a little. Still, he stuck to the less traffic-intensive area on the side of the road. He still needed to push through window shoppers, but he was able to find his path. A crowd of people and a forest weren't that different if you only saw the people as obstacles to pass.

He wished all things that got in his life were this easy to maneuver around.

After ten minutes of the twisting and diverting, and an ever growing exhaustion of the constant apologies he had to deliver, Zach took refuge in one of Violet's many alleyways, and apparent meeting spots. He cocked his brow for a second as he contemplated if this was the same alley he was in last night, but shook the thought away once he considered the odds.

"Now," he mumbled to himself as he pulled the inaccurate map form his pocket. "I take the..." He paused, his brow furrowed. His ears had distracted him with the tin rolling of a can. He took a long pause amid the bustle of the city that surrounded him. For only a second did Zach dismiss it and return to the map before his paranoia took the better of him. In the shadow of the alley, Leo's coalescence cast its glow, and would draw whatever attention would come to him.

The fox took one look at Zach's focused stare, and followed his gaze to a small L in the alley. His tail raised over his head and his ears laid back, pure leafeon battle stance prowled near the small dead end corridor.

A small black blur bolted out from behind a trashcan, it's long tail flowing behind it. Leo only watched the cat as it ran from the pokemon faster than Zach could follow.

Zach let out a sigh of relief."Let's just get out of here." Zach turned to move back into the street, when he noticed a group of people blocking the exit. They appeared harmless, merely talking among themselves with smiles and laughs. It was only a group of friends who had the same idea as Zach.

Zach still eyed them nervously, and clicked for Leo, who came to his side with his ears scanning the scene.

He turned to leave the alley on the other side, but he paused when he noticed the same thing. A smaller group stood in their circle, taking refuge from the streets.

Zach had remembered Adrian talking about this phenomena, it was apparently common in Violet. Groups of people needing a break from the crowded streets of the arguably overpopulated city. Sometimes the odds were that they would do it on opposing sides of an alleyway, blocking the path. It presented a problem from those who enjoyed shortcuts. Adrian simply called these groups corks.

Corks blocked his path on both sides, and he took a second to ponder which one he was going to hastily blow through to get out. The lack of sun was beginning to harass him. Actually, his heart was beginning to quicken as he studied both groups. He was noticing the glances towards him. The merry men who showed their yellow teeth seemed a bit too happy, like they had made a great achievement recently.

It was one quick glance that sent that spun the entire situation in Zach's head. The man's pale blue eyes seemed knowing, and his smile was hiding something that had almost broken through. Like there was an undertone of mischief to him. Now Zach was looking at an intentional cork.

Zach immediately moved towards the dead end alley. His hand was over Reiner's pokeball. His idea was that the still wild pokemon was still a good shield. He remembered how the bolts of the guards' crossbows bounced off him without leaving a mark.

His back was now against the dead end, watching the oaken wall that made up the building in front of him. Every hissing vent set him further on edge. His eyes darted, but the attention his put into each glance began to dull as the skin on his arm began to tingle.

_You're getting paranoid. _At this thought, Zach froze. He now only looked forward, his eyes narrowing as a small smile pulled his fear away. _'Paranoid. Adrian said those corks were common. The guy probably just didn't care that he was blocking me. The average Joe Blow from Johto.' _Zach looked down at Leo, whose ears were still perked. "Bit of an asshole, though; with a smile like that," Zach actually laughed. He slumped against the wall and eventually let himself catch his breath as he sat in the dead end alley.

He looked up, watching the clouds pass over the power lines that crossed between the buildings. Still, though, his hand never left Reiner's pokeball. Even though the sky had been a dark blue clustered with small clouds, he had been unable to relax. Maybe it was because his headache had unnerved him, maybe it was the storm of questions brewing about his father. In this moment, though, Zach felt relief. Relief that the corks were not barricades. Not intentionally, in any case.

"Leo," he said, with a grunt, as he began to stand. "The road's busy, so stay close to the-" He stopped when dust from one of the rooftops fell onto his shoulder, littering his hair and running down the back of his shirt. He looked up to find himself underneath a silhouette. It had something raised to him, aimed at him.

Zach could only dive forward from his current stance, and he heard the impact of a bolt into the dirt as he moved.

Zach's eyes flashed wide, and his thumb slammed into the trigger of Reiner's capsule. The behemoth coalesced, taking up the width of the alleyway. The rhyhorn tried to turn to face Zach, who was behind him, but was hindered by the tight space. He threatened the grow frantic.

Zach had no time to ease his newest addition before more silhouettes appeared above him, three in total. He rolled to one side, his hands covering the back of his neck, as a bolt bounced off the ground beside him, and another pinging harmlessly off Reiner's hind leg.

With a grunt, Reiner kicked backwards, his right foot thrusting over his trainer with a force that moved the air and kicked up dust.

"Reiner!" Zach called as he scrambled towards him, knowing full well that the ryhorn didn't even know his name, let alone being able to understand an order. "Stay still!"

Reiner tried to turn again, but his head bumped into the wall, leaving a small break in the wood. He staggered to one side, bumping into the wall perpendicular from the one he just damaged. Leo ran in front of him, barking in the best way a leafeon knew how to say – if you don't listen, we're all dead.

Reiner grunted dumbly at Leo, but another barrage of bolts pinged off his back. He tried to turn again, deepening the damage being done to the walls. By the time he looked back from another failed attempt, he noticed the beige fox had gone, but a simple twist of his head allowed him to catch the tip of his tail, now crouched under his belly.

Zach breathed heavily under the heat of the ryhorn, carefully reaching a hand out to Reiner's front left leg, he stroked it gently, and the leg lifted a second before easing back to the ground.

Another hail of bolts showered Reiner, bouncing off his hide. They felt like the stinging of sand in a storm, no more than an annoyance.

Zach closed his eyes, his hand still on Reiner's leg as he hopped the rhyhorn wouldn't just run off into the crowded streets. But Reiner remained still, even seemingly sturdy.

He heard an order. "Aim for its eyes!"

A reply. "His eyes are closed! He can't get through those lid-" the sound was cut off by an ear piercing screech, and the desperate calls for help from one of his assailants. A second later, there was a thud and a crack. Zach looked between his feet, still whispering calmly to Reiner, as his eyes met with a bloody corpse. The body's face was set in terror, with a mouth hinged open in mid scream. One wide green eye stared off into nothing, the other had popped and dripped blood like a faucet. He had been ravaged in the stomach, and cuts lined his entire body.

"Shit!" called one of the men, his accent clear.

There was another screech, and a call of pain. The injured groaned and swore to the other. "Forget Pine! Shoot the fucking skarmory!"

Hardly the words of a religious man, Zach thought, more like a soldier, or an outlaw. All he knew was that they were Them, and he knew Them. The semantics of his hallucination would had to have waited, for he saw feet round the corner. A bolt landed between Reiner's legs, missing Zach by half a foot as it pegged into the ground.

The next seconds were a flash, dust formed all around Zach as his shelter shifted, and bolted forward. Reiner vanished into the wall in front of them, carrying whoever had stepped in front of him through. He heard the screaming of the customers of the shop as the ryhorn plowed through the business, carrying an impaled man on his horn.

Zach too charged forward, taking to the shelter of the building. He hazarded a glance behind him, to find the silhouettes gone and Arcturus making a dive over the alley. As he passed by the actual alleyway, he found that the corks had drawn towards the incident as well, one of their hands reaching for a pokeball.

Leo parted from Zach just to run the edge of his tail against the trainer's hand, leaving a long crying cut from the thumb to the pinky. The man stopped in surprise and pain, crying out as his hand abandoned the pokeball to he held.

The man in front of Leo turned in mid stride to investigate, and his legs were cut out from under him by Leo attempting to run between his legs. The man tripped over Leo's hindquarter, providing minimal hindrance to Leo's balance.

Swearing and a thud bounced off the alleyway walls as Zach and Leo escaped into a witness filled environment.

* * *

**As I said, I'm beginning to build this world on a deeper level, including local events and character back stories. I might start doing a collection of one sho****ts, sort of like 50caliberchaos' _'__Legendarium__: Lesser Tales.' _And, yes, stories with canon characters. **

**A big thank you to Lukahylo for being my beta reader for this chapter. He has been a great help.**


	13. Captive

Zach's heart beat so hard that he felt it in his ears, and his head felt light. Not like that morning, not enough voices screamed in his head. The voices were external this time, coming from the people who had been in the shop. They scrambled out of the door. Some even ran passed him through the hole that Reiner had left in the store's wall. He shouted after them, to stop them from running into his attackers, but found that the alleyway had been cleared of his assailants. One woman stopped and gawked at the ravaged remains of the one who fell from the roof, but the click of a loaded crossbow drew his attention.

He had caused chaos in the small hardware store, merchandise and shelves littered the floor around Reiner, who frantically spin around, thrusting his wicked horn at whoever his poor vision could catch, although he never got close to hitting anyone, the panicked behemoth still made people push themselves into the corners of the room.

Zach's eyes weren't on Reiner, but on the tip of the crossbow that was pointed on him. On the other end was a thin man, who's white teeth bared at him like a growlith. As the people cleared from the wrecked shop, Reiner had begun to calm down, but Zach hadn't noticed. Only the pounding in his chest, and the shaking of his hands.

"In," said the man as the gestured towards the ryhorn.

Zach slowly lowered one hand to his belt, ensuring that Leo stayed behind him, before activating Reiner's pokeball. The store seemed to grow three times in size as the behemoth vanished in a red light. Those stragglers now fled the scene in an instant.

The man looked around the store, and he stopped on a fat man who had pushed himself against a wall. "Get out," he ordered the man. "Get out and find help."

"I-I'll get a guard," the fat man stuttered as he shambled through the wreckage.

"A guard? He's a trainer, get a ranger, you moron."

Zach spoke up. "Not just any ranger. There's a skarmory outside, follow him until you find his trainer, Private Adrian Mitsugi. This is all a misunderstanding, and he can explain everything to the authorities."

The man said nothing more, and frantically scrambled out of the shop, Zach sighed in relief when the man looked to the sky at once.

"Mitsugi?" The man lowered his crossbow. "You're Mitsugi's friend?" His eyes were sharply on him now.

Zach looked back at him, and a small smile actually found its way to him. "Yes," he said in relief. "You know him?"

The man nodded his head. "We've met." He looked around the shop, and out the front window to the people who had gathered. "What the hell are you doing crashing through walls, then? Ranger's friend or not, someone needs to pay for this."

"I was attacked," Zach said in desperation. "I can't leave the house in this city without being attacked."

The man's smile was as sharp as a blade. "Then we shouldn't stay here. Come." He crossed the store, stepping over splinters of the wall, and moved behind the counter. Zach watched him kneel behind the counter, then reappear. He looked back at Zach. "Come on then, this is time sensitive," he insisted.

Zach moved to the back of the counter, a latch had been opened that led into nothing but darkness. He hesitated, and began to hear the sound of approaching law enforcement.

"I know you want to stay," the man said, "but they'll just arrest you and put that ryhorn to death. I'll send word to Mitsugi myself, and it'll help you clear your name before these idiots execute your pokemon."

Zach still looked hesitant, and his leafeon stood quietly. He didn't like this. The fat man was already on his way to inform Adrian about this, what good would this man's word do?

"They'll kill all of your pokemon before you even get a trial, Mitsugi can change that," pushed the man as he knelt by the open latch. "You'll just have to trust me."

Still hesitant, he gawked out the window, his sharp, even foxy features now looked dull. "I know an officer," Zach muttered.

"You're pokemon will be dead before their superiors hear of your arrest, I promise. Not just the ryhorn."

Zach looked down at Leo for just a moment. The leafeon had always put Zach's life ahead of his own, but it wouldn't be right to insist on altruism, not for his lifelong partner, not for anyone. Zach went for the latch, and begun to climb down the ladder.

Zach leaped off of the ladder, and found himself knee deep in water. He looked up to see Leo looking curiously down at him. Zach took a step back and clicked at him, holding his arms out. Leo's ears pulled back, and he circled the hole till he was on the ladder side. He jumped down, the agile fox pushing off a rung and falling into Zach's arms, who nearly tumbled backwards with the weight of his pokemon. Now he stood, cradling Leo in his arms like a baby. The leafeon just laid on his back, looking around the dark tunnel.

The man gave an impressed laugh at the coordination. "Had this built a few years ago," the man said as he closed the door above them and climbed down the ladder behind Zach. "It leads to the aqueduct system under Violet. Should take us right to the harbour, and I'll send someone for Mitsugi as soon as we clear out of here." He pushed off the ladder, landing with a grunt. "My name's Cero, by the way. I know this is all sudden, but I have a feeling you came into my store for a reason. Tell me, do you believe in fate and gods?" He asked as he pulled a lighter from his breast pocket.

Zach shook his head. "I've never been a fan of the pious, nor a believer of fate."

Cero smiled again, a clever smile. They began to walk down the tunnel, Cero flicked the lighter open, and cast a light over his face. Zach hadn't noticed the burn mark, which reached form his forehead to his chin, until then. "And yet here we are. You crashed right into the only person who could get you out of this particular mess. I don't preach for happenstance, but I never dismissed forces beyond our control."

Zach nodded. He had hoped today would end with him one step closer to finding his boss. Professor Elm was out there somewhere, and his thoughts lingered on the urgency of his mission.

SC

When he was first taken from their humble campfire on Route twenty-nine, or the Ocean Road, he was in a state of denial. He had been blindfolded, pushed into a gas powered truck, and forced through the frontier like livestock. They had a brief time in Cherrygrove, where the torture began, until he was pushed back outside of the city in the night, and thrown back into the vehicle. The only sound that accompanied him was the droning of the gas engine, until the truck jerked to the side.

He thought he was being rescued when the truck had been toppled over, but there was only the sounds of battle somewhere in the forest as he was pulled from the truck. Then came the utter helpless horror he felt when he was lifted from the ground by the talons of some bird, hog tied and blindfolded, bleeding from the forehead from the crash.

He was certain he would be dead within the hour after take-off, but here he was, weeks later, sitting on a cot and listening to bird songs that served as his only entertainment. Light came through the crack of the window, but it was the only hint of the outside world he had known for the passed three weeks other than the bird songs. The only other source of light in the room were the stacked monitors on the desk, glowing their blue light at all times even when he tried to get what little sleep he could.

The computers served him no purpose, the screen would only display a flat line. He recognized it as a measurement, but he didn't know for what. It resembled a heart rate monitor vaguely, but if it was hooked up to someone, they were long since dead. He wondered if it was hooked up to the man in the room next time. Who he had heard screaming in agony not a day prior. The sound haunted his dreams that night, and lingered with him today as well. But the line was flat even before that.

The rats were the worst part, what little food he was given was a fight to keep. They had grown more bold over the weeks, even stomping on one had not deterred them. He could handle mundane creatures, since pokemon were the real threat in this world, but he had found his soul weakening. His resolve had thinned. Once he was Sean Elm, the survivor who tried to escape each time his door was opened, and who mocked his captors for the minor victories it gave him, but now he was almost broken, and he only raised his head when the door had opened once again, filling the room with more artificial light.

He stiffened on the bed, his breath catching in his throat. It was the young man with blue eyes as cold as ice and a stare that gave him a chill. He had come to fear this one, who smiled as he broke Elm's finger in their short time together. The younger one, the girl, came in behind him. Like before, she didn't look at him. She didn't get the thrill that her brother did from this, and Elm had grown a small amount of pity for her. In the same way you would pity a wasp for being caught in a web. His time in Cherrygrove with these two was brief, but he already hoped to never meet them again.

"Professor," the young man said, his voice was low, but with a touch of amusement. "We brought you a gift." He held out a linen wrapped sphere from the sleeves of his embroidered garment, and waved it around. He pulled back the cover, and the orb glowed with just enough power to outdo the monitors.

Elm's eyes widened. "Where did you get that?"

Harmin smiled, a cruel twist of his mouth. "A friend of yours," he said.

"Which friend?" Elm asked with trepidation. He sat forward. "Do you even know what that is? What you're dealing with?" anger rose in his voice, consuming what little emotional energy he had left.

Harmin's smile faded, and he looked at Elm with a hint of fury that stopped Elm's in an instant. "You ask too many questions. One more and another finger gets broken."

Elm's mouth tightened, and he lowered his head, looking at his left hand where his ring finger had been bent, just before his wedding ring. It still trobbed from the professor's attempt to set it himself.

"Harmin. Why don't you just tell him what we need him to do?" Jaime pushed, she was audibly annoyed by the display.

His cold stare moved to her, and she shifted under his gaze. "That's a good point, sister," he said in a mocking tone. "Why don't you? And if he refuses," he paused to look back at Elm with his teeth bared in a threatening smile, "then we can get your kadabra to break his arm."

Elm paled. His mind had been trespassed by the psychic-type before. The sensation was so overwhelming that it made his head swim, and he felt like consciousness itself was physically manipulated and thrown aside, thrown into the pits of his mind. His heart raced and his stomach soured at even the thought of the sensation.

Harmin saw this, and laughed. "Good, you understand. I'm glad you're still aware after being stuck in this room for." He stopped. "Well, that's for me to know, and-"

"Harmin," Jaime cut in again. "We have other things to do."

"Fine. Professor Sean Elm," his smile grew. "You get to follow in your father's footsteps. He would be so proud."

Elm's brow furrowed, and he found what little resistance he had left in him at hearing that. "I'd rather you broke every bone in my body."

"Don't tempt him," Jaime said with venom, she now looked directly in Elm's eyes, and he saw her cold beauty for the first time. "With Keva here, you wouldn't need your bones to move."

Elm's mouth hung open. "You would..." he trailed off. "Use telekinesis to manipulate my broken body?"

Her eyes darted towards the floor. "If you refuse to do this work, then yes."

Harmin looked his sister up and down. "Why don't you demonstrate? Go on. Make him move across the room."

Jaime's mouth tightened, and, closing her eyes, thumbed Keva's release mechanism. The room filled with light, and the golden fox appeared in the center of the room. His hands were fallen at his side, and he looked into Elm with his large red eyes. Elm remembered the feeling of the pokemon in his mind, and his breath caught in his throat. Every hair on his body stood on end.

Harmin smiled, and nodded for Jaime to continue.

Jaime didn't say a word, she didn't have to. Keva turned to his trainer, his face straight, but his mind pulsated with emotion. Their link was strong, and Keva felt the hesitation in the order.

"Do it," Harmin growled.

Keva looked at Elm, and the professor felt a push against his back, like he was sitting against something that wasn't there. It stopped at that, and the professor looked into the kadabra with fear.

'_Do it!"_ Harmin now snapped, and his shout rang in the room like a gunshot. Jaime tensed at the outburst, and Keva put his focus now in Harmin, releasing Elm from his psychic grip. Harmin looked between everyone in the room, his chest rising and falling and he seethed. "Do I have to force him myself, sister?" he growled. "Do I have to do this for you too, like mother?"

Jaime froze. If Harmin was ice, then Jaime was fire, and her eyes glowed with it. Her face grew red, and Keva now turned to face his trainer's brother. Whatever Keva felt in his trainer's thoughts turned him fully to Harmin, and the air around his body shimmered.

Harmin looked between the kababra and his sister, his mouth was twisted to one side thoughtfully. Elm never had the impression that this boy was the smartest person in the room, but he was the most violent by miles. It was funny how often those two went hand-in-hand in Elm's experience, and he wasn't at all surprised to find Harmin's hand lowering towards a pokeball.

He wanted to wait this out. If these two killed each other, then he would make his escape. He would run through the hallways and emerge wherever he was being kept. Even if he was in the middle of the Dinned Forest south of Ecruteak, or even the Pale Pass just before Blackthorn, he would consider it better than this. Then an image came to him, of the seviper catching him in the hallway before he even reached the door. The seviper was no doubt the pokemon that Harmin was going for, and it had the same taste for violence as its trainer.

Elm had to cut his losses. "I-I'll-" Elm let out a calming sigh, he was still a survivor. "What do you need me to do?"

"Pay for the sins of your father," Harmin said coldly, he no longer took amusement from this. His focus was on his sister. His hand moved from his seviper's pokeball. "You're too soft, my dear sister," he said with what he thought was a chuckle, but sounded more like a hiss.

The situation had been placated, and Elm decided to wait for his next chance.

Harmin looked back at the professor, and then looked to the corner of the room, where a machine stood silently. It was a small column shaped machine with a glass dome. Wires stretched upwards from the computers that the display sat upon, waiting for something to grab a hold of. The young psychotic moved for it, removing the linen and throwing it onto the floor before raising the dome and placing the orb inside. He turned to the professor. "This is when you become useful, since your old man wouldn't attend."

Elm swallowed, and slowly raised himself from the bed. He stood up,hunched, as he took a provisional glance towards the kadabra, who only looked back blankly. He slowly moved across the room, passed the computers, and stared at the blue glowing of the orb.

Harmin placed it inside the dome, and the professor got to work on hooking the machine to the orb. At once, the machine and computer alike sprang to life. The flat line on the display monitor pulsated slowly.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Harmin said before a laugh. Without another word, he turned and left the room, his sister not far behind him as they left for whatever vile task was next on their list. The door slammed shut behind them, and the professor was left to stare at the blue orb that hung in the display dome, his hands shaking, and his teeth grinding as he focused on the birds to calm himself.

SC

They had been walking in silence for what felt like twenty minutes, and Zach was hoping to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Cero had made a remark or two, and as much as Zach enjoyed a stimulating conversation, today was just not the day for it. He looked down at Leo, still cradled in his arms, and Leo looked back up at him. The fox licked his trainer's face, and it melted some of Zach's anxiety. He had never been a fan of cramped spaces, or attempts on his life. He was certain unmentionable waste had soaked into his jeans, and his shoes all but resisted his steps after a certain time. He would have taken them off if not for the leafeon in his arms, and the sludge of what he could only imagine being the result of a revolutionary sewage system for The Frontier.

Cero glanced back at Zach over his shoulder. "You seem pretty close to your pokemon," he said. "I never caught your name." This time he was pushing for a response.

"It's Zach," he answered. He left out his last name, for it seemed to bring him unwanted attention.

Cero nodded respectfully, "Well it's good meeting you, Zach. What brought you from Sinnoh?"

Zach remained silent. Elm was the answer. Elm was what drove all of his actions of late.

"Did I strike a nerve? You a fugitive?"

"No," said Zach. "I just don't feel like talking at the moment, and, no offense, but I don't trust you enough. I appreciate you're helping me, but you haven't told me how you know Adrian."

Cero's laugh bounced off the walls, and vanished into the darkness. "You don't trust me? You come crashing into my shop, I save your pokemon's lives, and you don't trust me," he repeated. "Oh, you Sinnoean's are all too worried that someone will shake your hand and stab you all at once." He was quiet for a moment, but when Zach didn't respond, he continued. "I met Adrian outside of the city years ago. He was on some mission with some friends. I don't remember the details. I do remember his quilava, though. Fierce and loyal, like every good dog should be."

_'Marsupial'_ Zach corrected in his mind, but left it alone.

"He stopped by a camp I had made that night, I enjoy a night away from the city every now and then. Me and my friends welcomed his group with open arms, and we shared an evening together. Funny man, and a hell of a shot. His friend, can't remember his name, was a bit tense, but he calmed down after a drink."

Zach remained quiet for a moment, running over the story, it was something to process, albeit brief. "So you guys shared a campfire once, and you remember his name and everything?"

Cero nodded. "It was a fun night. Young rangers have so much energy, it's impossible to forget them. Plus, I heard he was successful in his mission, and Violet City never forgets her heroes."

Zach cocked a brow. "Heroes? What did he do?"

Cero shrugged, stopping and turning his lighter down another tunnel before continuing down the original path. "He was looking for someone's daughter. He kept it all on the down low. Need to know basis, he said. I think he was just having some fun on his first true mission. Give a young man a big job, and they tend to over-do it."

Zach had always wondered why Adrian was so quick to turn back towards Cherrygrove on the night they had met. Any other man, even if they knew the one who was kidnapped, would have just gone back to Violet City and filed a report. Adrian had an air of duty since they had met, and it never really let up. It never struck him that this was Adrian's first self imposed assignment. "So he's a hero to these people?" Zach pushed.

"To Violet City as a whole? No. Just to the father of that girl, really."

Zach ceased the conversation with a nod. He had pushed as far as he wanted, and he was exhausted. He had never had to fill one day with hallucinations, attempts on his life, and a trek through a sewer system. Topped all that up with a lack of sleep from the night before, Zach felt like he was going on adrenaline alone.

All of this and Elm was no closer.

Finally, around the corner of the tunnel, Zach could see the shadows of bars cast over the brick walls. They rounded the corner, and Zach had to cover his eyes from the direct sunlight of the south-facing opening.

Cero stepped forward. "This is new," he said as he attempted to pull the bars. "Solid," he confirmed. "I haven't been this way in years. I guess they got sick of tentacool down here." He turned back to Zach, gesturing to his belt. "You already know he can make a path, the city will have to pay for this one, and I could care less about that." He walked behind Zach, and gestured for him to go on.

Zach put Leo down, and the grass-type instantly reared up in the water. The water was knee deep and Leo barely came up to Zach's knees. He vanished in a glimmer of red light and Reiner appeared. His head barely cleared the water, and his bulky body took up a good portion of the tunnel.

Zach spoke up, and the ryhorn tried to turn, but his head bashed into one of the walls, and the let out an actual roar of frustration.

"Zach, he can only be in the water for so long." Cero said, gesturing to the healing wound on Reiner's leg. "I don't need to tell you this water's dirty."

Zach barked at Reiner, and he dashed forward with a growl, slamming into the bars. They gave away some, but the rock-type didn't have the strength to get through them. He simply grumbled, and began to weakly butt his head against them, every time he tried, it involved submerging his nostrils in the septic water.

Zach returned the tired ryhorn. He looked back at Cero, who stood with crossed arms, and shrugged. The bars had bent enough to squeeze through, and Cero gave Zach a pat on the shoulder. They made their way through the crooked bars, and relieved themselves of the disgusting water in favour of the sand.

As Zach removed his shoes to pour the water out, he looked around, it was relatively quiet here. In the distance he could see the docks of Violet in motion. People moving to and from their ships, birds from the humble seagull to the revered pidgeot of some high ranking ranger rode the updrafts from the warm water. This was all far away, at least half a kilometer. Zach looked behind him to Cero, who simply stood watching the water, and the distant shine as the sun caught Cianwood's ships.

_'Doesn't look like those ships have slowed trade much,' _he thought._'I wonder if Cianwood even has armaments on those boats.'_

"What's the plan now?" Zach said as he stood, the sand clinging to his soaked pants. They stood in silence for a moment. "Cero?"

It was now Cero's turn to be silent. He watched the ships in the distance with his hands on his hips. "We wait," he said in a low tone. He turned back to Zach. "Follow me, I think I have a camping spot around here somewhere. It's been years, though." He moved down the beach, and Zach followed, reaching for Leo's pokeball. Cero turned around. "I wouldn't," he said, pointing towards the ranger who circled above the docks. "You'd be surprised how far that sound will carry."

"I'm sure they can't hear anything passed rushing air," Zach assured as he went for the capsule again.

"Do you really want to take that risk?" Cero said, his face losing its smile, and his eyes piercing into Zach as though to say _'no risks, or your pokemon die.'_

Zach looked back with his mouth agape. "I'm certain." And his hand moved again, faster this time. He felt someone stop his hand, a tight grip, but before he could turn to see who had grabbed him, he was pushed. His momentum led him directly into Cero's fist going straight into his face, and Zach fell backwards onto the sand with a grunt. His nose throbbed, he was sure it was broken. He looked up, to find Cero standing over him, and a larger man with no hair and tanned skin. Cero nodded to the larger man, who took Zach's pokeballs immediately.

"You're clever to not trust me," he said with a chuckle. He then looked over to the huge man. "Tie him," Cero ordered, and Zach was lifted to his feet. He opened his mouth to shout, but a second jab from Cero put a stop to that. His hands were tied together with a thick rope, and he was pushed down the beach.

They rounded some rocks on the coast, and found three men sitting around an unlit campfire. They all stood upon seeing Cero enter their camp, and it was obvious who was in charge here. Cero gave them all a nod, and they sat back down. Zach was forced to sit against a rock, still dazed by Cero's punches.

A large pink animal lumbered towards, him, large, forearm-length fangs jutted up from it's bottom jaw. It was dog-like in apperance, and it sniffed at Zach, grunting and growling. Cero pushed it out of the way, and whoever its trainer was called it to them.

Cero knelt in front of Zach, his wicked smile now venomous, his blue eyes now shone with delight.

Zach looked around at the men, all of them tanned and toned. None of them looked like they enjoyed the life of a city dweller, and they preferred it that way. Rabbits hung to dry, weapons laid against a crate with the emblem of the Indigo Trading Correlation, no doubt relieved from their rightful owners. The granbull sat on its haunches next to a large man who stared at Zach itnensly, threatening him with his gaze.

Zach looked back to Cero. "You're not with a cult, are you?" was his first and most pressing question. He actually found some relief when Cero shook his head.

"Who, them? No. This is personal. Never heard of The Free People, have you?"

Zach shook his head, he felt oddly calm. It might have been the blows to his head, it might have been the exhaustion, or maybe so much had happened to him in one day that he just couldn't be bothered to care anymore.

Cero laughed, and turned to his men, who joined him in his mocking. "Welcome to Johto then, Zach." He stood back up, and turned to the four bandits. "This is Adrian Mitsugi's friend," he told them. "You guys remember Mitsugi?" He said, pointing to the burn scar on the side of his head, and they all nodded. He turned back to Zach, his arms held out in celebration. "I believe in fate, my friend. You come crashing through my shop, and now you're my ticket to revenge. How funny is that?" He stepped up to Zach, and knelt in front of him, his face close enough to feel his hot breath as he spoke. "You get to see it yourself, I'm going to skin that quilava." He pushed his finger fiercely into his scar, his eyes growing wild. "And if he's stupid enough to bring his friends again, I'll finish what I started."

SC

"Think he's ok?" Amy asked as she leaned over the railing to peer down the long street that she had last seen Zach run down.

Adrian was leaned on the wall next his their front door, arms crossed as he watched the skies for his skarmory. "I don't think he's been attacked, if that's what you mean."

Her shoulders slumped, and she turned to face Adrian. "He's been doing well so far, but he had some kind of episode this morning. I think he might be..." she stopped.

"In too deep?"

She nodded, looking down at the rugged map. Her eyes scanned the roads again, and she folded a piece of hair behind her ear. There was something that was wrong with it, but it was subtle. She remembered something Zach had mumbled as he pet Riley for comfort, something about the west. Her eyes drifted towards the west end of the city, but there was nothing in particular, just the spaced out streets that made way for farmland. Or, where they once did before the area was developed after Ecruteak's violence sent refugees to Violet City.

"Adrian," she said with her mouth agape. "When was the Week of Red Streets?"

Adrian blinked. "Same year we were born," he said. "I'll never forget that little trivia."

Her eyes lit up. "That's it!" She smiled as she crossed over the porch, huddling up to Adrian as she shoved the map in his face. "Look!" She pointed to the west end. "This was all farmland until they had to build new housing for people fleeing Ecruteak. So this map's at least twenty two years old!"

Adrian's brows knitted together. "Ok, and?"

She opened her mouth to continue, but her beak-through had hit its end before she realized. "And..." She looked down at the map desperately. "And I don't know." Defeated, she lowered the map. "Dammit."

"Hey," Adrian said as he put his arm around her. "It's something." He smiled as he pulled her closer to him, and she smiled as she continued to stare at the map.

They remained like that for another half hour, warming each other as the people walked by on the street below. Finally, Adrian saw what he was looking for, a glint in the sky heading their way. He squeezed Amy's shoulder before letting her go, and made his way down the stairs. He was impressed with Arcturus, who had been sent to watch his friend and even returned home with minimal training. He grinned with pride in his pokemon, but when the young skarmory landed, his smile faded and his heart sank. Arc's beak was to the nostril with blood.

Adrian urged Arc out of the busy street, and pulled him under the porch of his home. He looked him over, but none of the blood was his. Arc cooed at him, and Adrian shushed him. Blood coated the wings was well, like a decorative Sevii Fan.

He heard panting behind him, and he turned with his fists clenched. A fat man as red in the face as he was his hair, was bent over, breathing so hard that he almost started to heave. Adrian marched up to him, his armour rattling, and pushed the exhausted man up, looking into his eyes.

"What happened to my skarmory?" he demanded with a growl as he grabbed the cuff of his shirt. He winced as the man's hot breath hit him like a fire hydrant.

Amy appeared around the corner, concern deep in her eyes as she scanned Adrian and the man. Her attention drifted to the small skarmory. "Oh my god," she breathed. She looked back at the men, anger trickling through her like a rivulet. "What the hell is going on?" she asked as she moved passed them and knelt in front of Arc. The bird tentatively eyed Amy, but allowed her to touch the side of his head. She could tell at once that none of the blood was his.

"I don't know. I was buying some paper when a ryhorn crashed through the wall," the man exasperated as he held his hands up. He still breathed heavily from his mouth, much to Adrian's chagrin.

Adrian released him, and tried to dust off the section of this shirt he had grabbed. The ranger ran his hand through his own hair, looking back at Arc then back to the man. "Did you see the trainer of the ryhorn?" he asked in a far more polite, and almost apologetic tone.

"He's the one who sent me for you. He said he was attacked. It was at the convenience store south of here. It was, I think," he stopped to wipe sweat from his brow. "Hevet Street."

Adrian's head lowered, and he sighed the way all tired man must. "Hevet Street? Thank you, and, um, sorry about the hassle, sir." He said as he patted out the wrinkles of the man's shirt where he had grabbed him.

The man said nothing, only nodding as he leaned against the wall of the adjacent building.

Adrian spun around, and moved to Arc, kneeling and hugging the chick, stroking his nearly fused feathers. He looked at Amy, then back to Arc. It was time to get moving.

She stood slowly, stepping away from Arc. "I'm not staying behind," she said as she crossed her arms.

Adrian looked up at her, an argument wanted to take form in his head, but he could find nothing that would dissuade her. Her face was set, and she looked fiercely at him. Slowly, he stood too. Arc nipped at his hand, and Adrian patted him once. "It's dangerous," he said in short.

"Mhmm," she nodded, her stubbornness was etched on her face. Adrian move towards her, taking her hands in his, but she only looked up at him. All he had was a sigh, and he squeezed her hands before allowing his smile to come back.

"I love you," he said, throwing her a handsome grin. "But you're gonna stress me out."

Her face softened, and she smiled back. "If it means I can keep an eye on you, then I'll take that risk."

"Go fetch your med kit, and be quick." He had to shout the last part to her as she was already running up the stairs and vanished into their apartment. He rubbed his neck, eyeing the exhausted fat man nervously. "You're not going to burn my house down or nothin' while I'm gone, right, sir?"

The man, stuffing a sweat filled cloth back into his pocket, simply gave Adrian a surprised and incredulous stare. "I beg your pardon?"

Adrian eyed the man up and down once more. "Nothin', sir." He said before moving away from him and into the street, ushering Arc to stay by his side. Amy appeared again, wearing an armoured vest and a satchel hung over her shoulders. "Leg armour," Adrian demanded, with no sense of humour in his tone.

Amy stopped halfway down the steps. "There's no time for-"

"It would make me feel better about this," Adrian shot back, raising his brows at her in genuine concern.

Scoffing, she rolled her eyes and ran back up the stairs.

"The Frontier's a complex place," the fat man said as he slowly hobbled up beside Adrian. "The Free People, The Lost, I won't ask about your troubles. You don't have the time now, but if you ever see me again, I expect a proper apology and more respect from a ranger," he spat. If his face wasn't already red from exhaustion, it would be from anger.

Adrian flinched. "Of course, sir. I apologize for my behaviour," he said, wielding his professional tone.

The man mumbled something, but it couldn't be heard over the passing of a crowd of loud children. Taking one last long breath, the man took his leave down the street, tiredly paddling down the road until the crowds took him.

A minute later, Amy came rushing down the stairs, not stopping at Adrian, who turned with her and pushed himself into a run. The couple jogged down the same street Zach was last seen, Arcturus soaring over the buildings after them, guiding them back to the scene.

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait, I'm beginning to write ahead, and making sure everything lines up takes some time. Also Cero was sort of a last second addition to the plot, I think it will lead to very interesting developments in the future. Cheers.**

\- Edge


End file.
